Classical Comparison Essay Example

by monasteries and stupas. Comparing Ashoka and Han Wudi, both spread and furthered belief systems in their emperors.

Han Wudi did it by creating the imperial university and from even expanding his empire (their new territories adopted Confucianism) and Ashoka did it by imposing some of the Buddhist beliefs amongst all the people and creating stupas, monasteries, and pilgrimages. However, they did differ due to the fact that Han Wudi didn’t actually care for the religion of Confucianism himself; he only imposed it because he need educated people to become government officials whereas Ashoka took the matter of Buddhism into his own hands and spread it because he wanted too. A main priority for the success of an empire is the structure of the government.

In Ancient China, the structure of the government for many empires was a centralized bureaucracy. The first emperor, Qin, established this idea and Han Wudi kept it alive. Han Wudi’s was more relaxed and created large landholdings but maintained control over administrative regions by imperial officers. He increased taxes to fund more public works, continued the building of roads and canals to facilitate trade and communication. And also, he levied taxes on agriculture, trade, and craft industries, and created imperial monopolies on essential goods to finance the machinery of the government.

In Ancient India, on the other hand, Ashoka ruled through a tightly organized bureaucracy and ruled at the capital of Pataliputra where a central administration developed policies for the whole empire. Just as Han Wudi did, Ashoka ensured that his local subordinates implemented his polices with a central treasury that oversaw the collection of taxes. He expanded agriculture by building irrigation systems

that opened up trade as well. Directly comparing Ashoka and Han Wudi, they both had tight, centralized bureaucracies which they ruled from their capitals and had government officials collect and maintain the provinces.

A difference however is that Ashoka communicated his policies by inscribing edicts in stones or pillars. But regardless, both rulers practiced a similar type of government of a central, tightly organized bureaucracy. In both India and China, they both governed with a central bureaucracy which led to the fact that their policies towards the people were basically just to follow the rules. However, both rulers had an increase of agricultural productivity. The reason why the Chinese had an increase was because of the expansion of iron manufacture which increased food production and ability to cultivate.

India had an increase because of the building of irrigation systems, and trade by building roads. They both were not too strict on people except they both had somewhat of a social structure. India had the caste system but however, since Ashoka was a Buddhist, social classes weren’t recognized and in China, Confucianism had the idea filial piety which was subordination to elder males and that females should be obedient and humble (basically like a dog). They didn’t have strict policies confining their people except for the fact that they have to abide by the typical policies of paying taxes and not overthrowing the government.