Strayer Chapter 6 – Flashcards

-Both systems are used to define social hierachy -The caste system defined social groups more rigidly and with less opportunity for social mobility than in many class-based systems -The caste system defined the social order in terms of religious ideas about the creation of the universe more explicitly and more closely than many class-based systems

-There were more slaves in the Greco-Roman world -Slaves played a critical role in the economy of the Greco-Roman civilization -Slaves participated in a more diverse array of occupations in the Roman empire than they did in other classical civilization- from the highest/most pretigious positions to the lowest/most degraded

-In china, Confucian philosophy was used to justify the class system + patriarchy -In india, religious beliefs legitimized the caste system- the varnas (4 classes of society) were describes as being formed from the body of the god purusha. The concepts of karma and rebirth explained one's place in the caste system. Dharma (fullfillment of one's caste duties) determined one's future life -In the Greek world, Greek rationalism legitimized class and gender inequalities. Philosopher Aristotle developed the idea that some people were "slaves by nature" and should be enslaved for their own good and for society. This idea justified large-scale slavery in Athens (1/3 of the pop. were slaves) and in Rome. Greek Philosophere (Aristotle) also provided ideas justifying the exclusion of women from the public and their subordination to men. Aristotle states that women were infertile men, inadequate b/c they could not generate sperm (said to contain form/soul of a new human.) Another idea states that women, like children or domesticated animals, were influences unduly by instinct and passion and lacked the rationality to take part in public life

-successful maintenance of social structures based on inequality in every classical civilization. Thus one could point to the reality of a slave-based society in the classical Mediterranean world, the caste system in India, or the class system in China -the philosophical and religious systems of classical civilizations, including Greek rationalism, the Hindu faith, and Confucian philosophy. -resistance in the form of small-scale theft, sabotage, or other acts of defiance have left no historical trace, more dramatic and widespread forms of resistance to social inequality in the form of Spartacus's slave revolt in the Roman Empire or the Yellow Turban peasant rebellion in China show that, when given the chance, those at the bottom end of the social structure could and did oppose the social order

-The classical era had no dramatic changed in the social structures of society. It brought further strenghtening of cultural traditions and institutions that reinforces social inequality and partiarchy -Strong states like China and Rome served to strenghten social inequality and patriarchy -The development of classical belief systems (caste system-India Confucianism/Legalism-China Greek rationalism-Mediterranean) justified class and gender inequalities

-Chapter 4 traces the rise and collapse of classical Eurasian empires, none of which survived beyond 550 C.E. -Meanwhile, Chapter 5 explores the creation of a number of cultural traditions that continue to have relevance and attract followings even today, including Confucian and Daoist ideas from China; Buddhist and Hindu traditions from India; and Zoroastrian, Jewish, Greek rational, and Christian traditions from the Near East and Eastern Mediterranean. -Chapter 6 explores several features of classical social hierarchies that persisted long after the collapse of the classical empires. Key here are the social hierarchy of China, which persisted into the twentieth century, and the caste system of India, which continues to influence Indian society today. Slavery also continued to be a major social phenomenon in many regions into the late nineteenth century. Finally, some elements of patriarchies that evolved during the classical era remain influential today.

-The social hierarchy of China was composed of Elite Officials, Landlords, Peasants, and Merchants. -Emporer's officials represented the cultural and social elite. They were chosen through a civili service examination sytem. -Landlores accumlated large amounts of lands from peasant farmers making them very wealthy. State authorities were opposed to this, as these Landlords were able to avoid paying taxes, which decreased state income and forced peasants to pay higher taxes. In some cases, Landlords could raise a military force and challenge the emperor. Large landowning families soon came to be known as scholar-gentry, as they were both wealthy and powerful. Despite the efforts of Chinese emporers, landowners remained a central feature of Chinese society (many members of this group serves the emporer as his officials) -Peasants made up the largest part of the Chinese pop. Pop. growth, texation and indebtness resulted in peasants becoming tenant farmers rather than farmers who owned their own land. Some peasant families worked/owned enough land to feed themselves, maybe even sell things at the local market, others could barely survive -Merchants were the lowest class, they were viewed negatively by the elite. They were seen as unproductive, greedy, materialistic, and luxury loving, people who made a shameful profit off selling the work of others. Authorities made periodic efforts to erin in merchant activity, but despite active discrimination, merchants usually became wealthy. Some merchants tried to achieve elite status by purchasing landed estates and educating their sons to be civil servants.

-Emporer/authorities vs landowner, State authorities tried to limit the accumulation of estates by large landoweners. Landlores coup avoid paying taces (decreasing state revenue, increasing tax burden of peasants) and challenge the authoirity of the emporer through military force. -State Officials/Landowners vs Peasants, Landowners extracted high rents (up to 2/3 of the harvest) from peasants working on their land. The state required payment of tazes and a month's labor each year from peasants. Peasants frequently abandones their lands, formed bandit gangs, and rose up against their superiors (yellow turban rebellion) -State Officials/ Landowners vs Merchants, Merchants were viewed as unproductive, making a shameful profit from selling other's work. Merchants were seen as a social threat (their ill-gained wealth impoversihed other, depriced the state of needed revenues, and fostered resentment) Authorities made efforts to rein in merchant activity but despite their active discrimination merchants frequently became wealthy, some tried to achieve respectable elite status bu purchasing landed estates and training their sons to become civil servants.

-grew out of the interaction of culturally diverse people and the devlopment of economic and social differences between them -clear belief that society was organized into four varnas with one's position determined by birth -Three classes were pure aryans (brahmins(priests), Ksatriyas(warriors and rules),Vaisyas(peasants) -Final class was not aryan (Sudra)- native people, subordinate -According to varna theory the 4 segments were formed from the body of the god (Purusha) so they were permanent -But there was considerable social change, the Vaisya verna devloped into a merchant class, the Sudras became peasants. A new group emerged (untouchables)- they had the most polluting unclean tasks. -Another system of occupationally based foups (Jatis) emerged and blended with the varna system. The jatis became the primary cell of social life in India beyond the family or household. Each Jati was associated with of of the great classes (or untouchables). Within a particular village/region, Jatis were ranked in hierachy. Each jati was associated with a particular set of duties, rules, obligations that defined its members position in the wider society

-The varna ssystem was older and provided broad categoried in a social hierachy that explained social inequality -The Jatis were occupationally based groups that split the varnas and untouchables into thousands of smaller social groupons based on occupation. Jatis became the primary cell of social life in india beyond the family or household. Each jati was associated with one of the varnas or untouchables. Marriage and eating together as permitted only within one's jati. Each jati was associated with a particular set of duties, ruled, and obligations which defined its members place in the larger society

-India's caste system gave priority to religious status and ritual purity, China elevates political officials to the highest of elited positions -The caste system divided indian society into a vast number of distinctive social groups compared to the broader categories of Chinese Society -The caste system defined social groups far more rigidly and with even less opportunity for social mobility than China's class system

-Slaves possesed the status of outsiders, whereas each jati pssesed a recognized position in the social hierachy -Slaves were owned and sold, unlike the caste system -Slaves worked without pay, unlike the caste system -Slaves lacked any rights or independent personal identity, unlike the caste system -In some tradition, Slaves could transform thir status by being freed by their master/ purchasing freedom. Also in some traditions, childrens of slaves were considered free at birth. These traditions offered more opportunities for social mobility than the caste system

--Thre Greco-Roman society depended more on slaves than other classical civs -There were far more slaves in the GR world than in other CC's - Slaves participated in a greated number/range of occupations thatn other CC's from the highest/most presitigious position to the lowest/most degraded. Slaves were excluded only from military service The GR world was a slave society- dependent of slaves as their sources of labor, while the other civilizations depended more of their lower classes to do all the work. In Greece and Rome, slaves made up almost a third of the total population, while in other civilizations slaves had them as a minority.

-Long-established patterns of thinking in terms of pairs of opposites were now described in genders/unequal terms. The symbol of yang was superior and masculine (associated with heaven, rulers, strenght, rationality, and light) and yin was inferior and feminine (associated with the earth, subjects, weakness, emotion, and darkness) -Thinkers emphasized the distinction between the public and political roles of men and the private domain of women -THe idea of three obediences was emphasized: A women was subordinate to her father, husband, then son -Chinese woman writer Ban Zhao recorded how women were taught at birth that they were inferior and subordinated to men and should be passive and subservient in their relations with men (Three customs when a baby girl was born) -Emerging Confucian ideology influenced evolving ideas about patriarchy in Chinese society

-Athene places increasing limitations on women -Athens completly excluded women form public life - Athens required that women be represented by a guardian in legal matters, women were not even reffered to by name in court proceeding -Athens restricted women to the home, where they lived separetedly from men -In athens, marriage usually between a woman in her mid-teens to a man 10-15 years older than her -In Athens land passed through male heirs -Spartan women has more freedom -Sparta's fear of helot rebellion meant that great value was places on male warriors -Spartan women's role in society was to reproduce (specifically to strong healthy sons) -Spartan women were ecouraged to strengthen their bodies through participating in public sporting events -Spartan women were not secluded or segregates -Spartan women married men of about their own age (couple was on a more equal basis) Spartan men were often engages in/preparing for war so women ahd more authority in the household -As in Athens, Women in sparta lacked any formal public roles