The large surpluses that chinampas were able to produce was one of the main reasons why the society was able to evolve in the way it did. Before chinampas most of the population had to be full-time or at least part-time farmers to support their families and pay tribute (Berdan 2005). After chinampas became more widespread, and the southern lakes began producing massive amounts of maize, the people in the cities, notably Tenochtitlan, were able to focus more on life outside of farming. Specialists could start to emerge, individuals who were focused full-time on the creation of goods. This branching out created a complex system of interdependence.
The high population of Tenochtitlan can also be attributed to the large surpluses produced by the southern chinampas. The reliability of the crops encouraged city growth. We can also assume that the bountiful harvests helped most of the aztecs stay healthy and well-fed. This would've helped during times of war against enemies from smaller towns who were perhaps struggling with their crops. So, indirectly, chinampa productions helped in the growth of the Aztec empire itself.