Since earliest times people have built walls to protect themselves and
their belongings—walls around country estates controlled livestock and
protected the animals from marauding wolves or poachers. With equal
determination their enemies and rivals have tried to break through those
walls to kill and steal.
When a strong central authority protects borders and reduces internal
crime, people have little need for fortified dwellings, although the
rulers may build walls and towers to define legitimate residents and defend
the country against external threats. When central authority breaks
down, however, individuals are more likely to fortify their homes. The
presence of castles in the landscape indicates a decline in stability and
peace.
World History
