HISTORY 1CC3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: The Mandarins, Indian Ocean, Political Philosophy
Document Summary
Brook made the claim that the interest in china of the west was not reciprocated by china (no interest in the west) Europe at the same time- communal independence, religious diversity, etc, all contributed to the fragmentation of europe and could exist in europe without being crushed as a rebellion (legal rights created issues for european empires) The mandarins- institution recruited administrators and trained them in history, literature, philosophy etc w/ many exams; no military element- lasted 1500 years, boys started at age of 3 memorizing 500,000 characters, took 6 years. Officers of military were forbidden from becoming administers of state: political philosophy, cultural philosophy and religion balanced by. Confucianism- control was not exerted by force, but by ethical values that extended to the whole of the community. Social hierarchy- merchants were low, lack skill (only move things around- trading for profit not rooted in confucianism)