Economic System and Specialization in Occupation
The main industry of the Inca empire was farming—a very difficult endeavor on the cold, steep slopes of the Andes Mountains and on the desertlike coastal plains of Peru. Many of the peoples conquered by the Incas already had terraces (a series of large horizontal ridges, like stairs, made on a mountain or hillside to create a level space for farming) and systems for irrigation, and the Incas made extensive additions to these agricultural advances. Using mit'a labor to construct irrigation canals and carve terraces from steep mountainsides, they ensured that all arable land (land fit for farming) was put to use. The Incas also delivered llamas to regions that had not had them before; these animals were raised for their wool and meat and served as pack animals too. Many scholars agree that the Incas put more land to use for farming and animal-raising than any society since.
An economy without money
The Inca economy was not based on a money system, and it did not have commerce (the buying and selling of goods, especially on a large scale) or free trade. The government made sure that everyone had enough land or goods to survive, and it managed the exchange of goods between faraway regions. There were no merchants acting on their own behalf. The government promised to take care of the old and the sick, using the large supply of surplus goods produced by mit'a labor. In times of famine, the government storehouses were opened to the public so that no one would starve. Instead of money, the Incas invested mit'a labor: They directed terracing and irrigation projects that enabled peasants to grow more food. Once surplus food was stored away, some of the people were able to quit farming and pursue other activities. The Incas' investment paid off in cultural advances: A large group of full-time artisans began to produce pottery, metalwork, and other crafts. Cloth, one of the most treasured products among the Andean peoples, was produced in huge quantities in the homes of almost all people of the empire. When rewards beyond land and food were needed, the Incas usually bestowed fine cloth upon their people.
The economic system was not effective in all parts of the empire, and some of the conquered states lost more than they gained by joining the empire. Equality among people was never a goal of the Inca empire: The nobility and privileged ranks were exempt from the labor requirements and owned their land outright.
Inca Relay Road Runners
The job of Inca roadrunner was a specialized
profession in the Inca Empire.
Young men studied how to be an Incan
roadrunner, or chasqui. Incan chasquis carried
orders and news from one end of the entire to the
other. They were the mailmen of the Incan Empire.
Messages always reached the Sapa Inca accurately.
If it was discovered that a message was not
accurate, punishment was severe.
This relay system was so effective that runners
could carry messages at a rate of about 250 miles a
day. Without these specially trained Incan mailmen,
controlling the vast Inca Empire would have been
next to impossible.
Interesting Facts about Inca Science and Technology
An economy without money
The Inca economy was not based on a money system, and it did not have commerce (the buying and selling of goods, especially on a large scale) or free trade. The government made sure that everyone had enough land or goods to survive, and it managed the exchange of goods between faraway regions. There were no merchants acting on their own behalf. The government promised to take care of the old and the sick, using the large supply of surplus goods produced by mit'a labor. In times of famine, the government storehouses were opened to the public so that no one would starve. Instead of money, the Incas invested mit'a labor: They directed terracing and irrigation projects that enabled peasants to grow more food. Once surplus food was stored away, some of the people were able to quit farming and pursue other activities. The Incas' investment paid off in cultural advances: A large group of full-time artisans began to produce pottery, metalwork, and other crafts. Cloth, one of the most treasured products among the Andean peoples, was produced in huge quantities in the homes of almost all people of the empire. When rewards beyond land and food were needed, the Incas usually bestowed fine cloth upon their people.
The economic system was not effective in all parts of the empire, and some of the conquered states lost more than they gained by joining the empire. Equality among people was never a goal of the Inca empire: The nobility and privileged ranks were exempt from the labor requirements and owned their land outright.
Inca Relay Road Runners
The job of Inca roadrunner was a specialized
profession in the Inca Empire.
Young men studied how to be an Incan
roadrunner, or chasqui. Incan chasquis carried
orders and news from one end of the entire to the
other. They were the mailmen of the Incan Empire.
Messages always reached the Sapa Inca accurately.
If it was discovered that a message was not
accurate, punishment was severe.
This relay system was so effective that runners
could carry messages at a rate of about 250 miles a
day. Without these specially trained Incan mailmen,
controlling the vast Inca Empire would have been
next to impossible.
Interesting Facts about Inca Science and Technology
- The messengers who ran on the roads were punished harshly if the message was not accurately delivered. This rarely happened.
- The Inca built a variety of bridges including suspension bridges and pontoon bridges.
- One of the main forms of medicine used by the Inca was the coca leaf.
- The Inca developed aqueducts to bring fresh water into town.
- The basic unit of distance used by the Inca was one pace or a "thatki".