Two mian reasons why civilizations seek to expand their power:
The quest for more resources: resources are always scarce, and every civilization wants to have more of them. Expanding its power, territory, and influence, is a way to seek control of more resources.
To keep other civilizations from becoming more powerful: some civilizations have tried to expand their power mainly with the goal of keeping some neighboring civilization from becoming more powerful. For example, in Mesopotamia, the Assyrians conquered ended up conquering the Babylonians become the two civilizations were not able to coexist.
do you think expansion always leads to conflict?
No, expansion does not necessarily lead to conflict if the civilization that expands is pluralistic and respects cultural differences, and gives territories some degree of autonomy.
Explanation:As the population of a civiliazation ,grows it struggle to provide resources for the population. One of the easiest solution this is to expand territory in order to amass more money and power by taking resources of others instead of producing their own. Some expansions of territory lead to conflict but not always , there are countless ways to forge peace and harmony by sharing leading and the promise of Stability by the strong leaders
