Comparative Essay Both Classical India and Classical China were organized societies with strong centralized governments and complex institutions. Although there were some similarities in their political structure, there were also many differences because of the belief systems which shaped the social and political order of each society. Those belief systems differed in both India and China, they also changed over time due to the creation of new religions or laws. While all of the beliefs affected the political and social structure, some like Legalism and Confucianism were providing big impact on it, while others like Hinduism, Buddhism and Daoism were purely the religions of salvation and harmony with nature. Classical China (1029
The regions had a lot in common socially from a wide perspective. Both nations had vast gaps between classes. The strict caste system in India kept the classes from interacting or shifting. The divide in China was based more directly on economic status than the sociable nature of the caste system. There was the main stretch between the wealthy or landowning class and the peasants, while in India it was a more intricate divisi.
Buddhism was also spread from India to China due to the interaction on the Silk Road. Other products traded were porcelain, spices, and rice. Europeans traded wine, gold, and silver. Goods were limited to luxury goods such as gold and silver because they didn’t have the technology to carry heavy loads on the narrow roads of the Silk Road. Trade
Increasing trade with all major regions of the world c. A dislike of the arts and sciences d. A powerful centralized government 18. A “dynasty” in Chinese history was a. Any emperor who lasted more than two decades b. A family that passed the imperial title from generation to generation c. Powerful bureaucrats who ran the state d. Big business families who monopolized trade 19. Merchants in China were considered low prestige according to Confucian ideals because: a.
The Mongols had foreign administrators in China because they did not trust any Chinese person to be left in charge therefore foreign people were used. While in the Middle East the Mongols felt that leaving the Persians to have some charge would be the best for the people and result in benefits. Along with similar and different political effects of Mongol rule, there were similar and different economic effects of Mongol rule on China and the Middle East. The economic effects of Mongol rule on China and the Middle East were similar in that both were forced to give up money. In
While both the Chinese and Roman empires conquered other lands, the Romans were more humane towards their conquered subjects. The Romans’ humane behavior towards conquered subjects led to more internal stability and also a lower chance of revolt. Han China conquered the regions of the Korean peninsula and of Vietnam; however, Han China enjoyed uncontested hegemony over these regions. Imperial Rome did not levy taxes on conquered subjects as opposed to Han China. Both empires allowed their citizens to contribute to the empire; however, they did so by different means.
This is clearly observed through imperialism, which was the extension of control over people and territories, by forced submission through military superiority. As a result China was forced into an unequal relationship whereby they were forced to accept treaties, which reduced their sphere of influence and sovereignty. However it also resulted in the embracing of modern technology and revolutions that led China to become the nation it is today. In the first 50 years of from 1750 to 1800, western imperialism had little effect on China due to military and economic strength. During this period China was under the rein of Qian Long and was still considered the “Middle Kingdom”.
China was a country of dynastic splendor, such as the Manchu Dynasty in the 1900s, but was later on tainted by imperialism. At first, Chinese had become very advanced in many areas, like astronomy, mathematics, etc. However, due to its isolation and lack of modernization, it became weaker than the other nations. Knowing this, aforementioned nations like Japan and Europe began to spread their influence and power into China. Imperialism became a huge component of China’s history, from 1839 to 1935.
Although this is the most common definition, civilizations can and do exist on other levels. The first article presented a very valid point, it said that civilization belongs more to the mental than the physical world, which coincides with the Chinese belief. It also commonly stated that the word civilization entails in it an idea of continuous advancement politically, economically, socially, and technologically. However, it gave an example of a society using more primitive technology because their old fashioned tools were better suited to the conditions of the land. This was very interesting because it gave an example of a society taking a simplistic approach to technology yet still embodying the idea of a civilization.
It is a kind of dynamic and growing stability. Also, the economic stability is interacting with social and political stability. Additionally, if China is suffer from instable and chaos, there will be an excuse for the western countries to intervene China’s internal affairs. Both the political, social and economic factors can affect the order and stability. Politically, Chinese government recognized that the existing express channels for people are insufficient.