Every explanation of political collapse conveys lessons that are relevant not only for the study of ancient societies but also for the members of all complex societies in the present and future. Dr. Tainter describes nearly two dozen cases of collapse and reviews over 2000 years of explanations. He then develops a new and far-reaching theory that explains the collapse of various types of societies, evaluates his model, and elucidates the processes of disintegration through detailed studies of the collapses of Roman, Mayan, and Chacoan cultures.