As civilizations arose in the Eastern hemisphere, each developed and succeeded due to the sophisticated techniques of imperial administration. Han China, beginning in 206 BCE, rounded out China's basic political and intellectual structure. About 100 years previous, Maurya/ Gupta India made several political contributions despite the diversity that occurred among the regions. The empire's’ different political structures and values along with similar methods of control helped shape the periods of these great civilizations. Before the Han dynasty came into power, the Uins ruled China with Shi Huangdi as the emperor. Shi Huangdi sought to centralize China and set up a bureaucracy. He was also responsible for a number of innovations in Chinese …show more content…
The Hans utilized a central government where a bureaucracy held a considerable amount of power. The bureaucrats were capable of carrying out the complex duties of the state. Emperor Wu Ti, who was appointed by the gods, emphasized the use of civil service examinations. These examinations contained elements about Chinese literature as well as law. Therefore, only those who could afford to be educated were able to take and pass the exam. On the other hand, in Maurya/Gupta India, regionalism became the accepted political structure. Unlike China, each state had an aristocratic assembly to make decisions. Many of these officials also claimed to be divinely appointed by Hindu gods whereas in China, the officials were appointed based on merit. There is also great diversity in India, which caused for an unstable political base. Dependence on large armies became persistent, especially the Mauryans who feared betrayal and attack. Nevertheless, China was unified and isolated from outside attacks. Overall, Han China and India greatly differed in their political …show more content…
Both China and India emphasized a uniform law code. The Hans used harsh punishments such as torture and execution to supplement the teaching of obedience and civic virtue. As was stated, each caste in Maurya/Gupta India had laws to abide by, also known as dharma, which allowed the idea of a uniform law code to be spread. Additionally, Ashoka, a Mauryan ruler, posted laws for the empire on pillars so that everyone was able to view and follow the rules. China and India also both taxed their citizens. China’s central government not only taxed its subjects, but also required manual labor from male peasants. As a result of collected taxes and manual labor, public works including canals, roads, and palaces were able to be produced. The Mauryas/Guptas had developed a demanding taxation system by seeking up to a sixth of all agricultural produce. Furthermore, both the Hans and the Mauryas/Guptas expanded their areas of control by conquering more land. Han rulers expanded into Korea, Indochina, and central Asia once they came into power. By conquering more land, China was able to have direct contact with India and with the Parthian Empire in the Middle East. The Maurya/Gupta empires governed large territories and sought to expand. By imposing laws with punishments, taxing citizens, and expanding territory, Han China and Maurya/Gupta India were able to maintain control and order of large,