| What “cultural genes” did the ancient empires bequeath?.pdf |
China and Rome
What “cultural genes” did the ancient empires bequeath?
Today, the United States as a “New Rome” faces the rise of New China. Two millennia ago, the Roman Empire and the Han Dynasty of China were the two superpowers. This page traces the rise of the Roman and Chinese Empires, explains how their respective republican or feudal experiences shaped imperial characteristics, and compares the Roman “hard power” with the Chinese “soft power”, describing the former’s militarism, wealthy elites, and respect for the law, and the latter’s bureaucracy, ideological elites, and moral indoctrination. These “cultural genes” are still influential today.
Full text and slides.
Full text and slides.