Part 10/20:
Similarly to ancient civilizations like Mesopotamia or the Greek city-states, Mesoamerican societies exemplified how success can breed stagnation and eventual downfall. Over time, grand city-states became bureaucratic and estranged from their populations, weakened by environmental stress and internal power struggles. When ecological crises hit, like the severe droughts blamed on El Niño, social cohesion unraveled. Populations abandoned fortified cities, leading to collapse.