China Assessment

Being a superpower is defined as the extensive ability to exert influence internationally. It

is the state of possessing the might, both economic and military, superior to other countries.

Superpower can describe countries with significant influence and a robust global presence. The

four pillars of power define a country's "superpower" prowess: economic, military, political, and

social. First, economic power depends on the size of a country's GDP, the strength of its

currency, and its participation in global economic partnerships. Second, superpowers often have

significant military power; this depends on government investment in their military and

developing technology. Third, political power depends on a country's influence in international

organizations. Finally, a superpower may have social influence by developing brands with a

global presence that spread their ideologies worldwide.

A solid governmental system is essential to politics, and the Tang Dynasty certainly had

one. In their government, an emperor ruled, but three sections created laws. Then, those sections

were divided even further into six departments. This division of power ensured that everything

would work and that the government would be nice and orderly. The Tang dynasty was also very

passionate about the education of the people. Instead of being afraid that encouraging education

could lead to falters in their power, they embraced it and believed that it would simply expand

and bring new people to the government. They also wanted to create a division of power and

give people shares of land and power. Everyone had a somewhat equal chance to succeed. There

was also a system called "The Imperial Examination System," which was a survey that allowed

the government to go out and find people who were worthy of working in the government. Those

who were intelligent, humble, and genuinely kind succeeded. Overall, The Tang structure of

government was used for many future periods of China and had a significant influence

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 worldwide. Another crucial way to exert political power is by taking part in international

governments that have a large influence over foreign societies. The Qing Dynasty chose not to

immerse itself in foreign relations and while the Qing Dynasty traded with other countries, they

did not import many goods. The Qing were very restrictive considering their trade with western

nations but were slightly more agreeable with Russian, Central Asian, and Southeast Asian

nations. The canton system controlled western trade, which stated that Westerners could only

trade in Canton Harbor and only with approved Chinese guilds. This system helped regulate

foreign trade and allowed the guild's leaders to become some of the richest in the world. The

Qing Dynasty's lack of interest reflected the long-standing belief that Western goods were

inferior and undesirable. In the 1600s, Chinese technology and manufacturing were still on a par

with Europe, and there was little pre-industrialized European production that interested the

Chinese. China's interest in European trade had been precious metals, particularly silver.

Manufactured goods, such as wool cloth and weaponry, were purchased occasionally, but

Chinese governments generally did not improve. However, from the point Europe began to

industrialize, the Qing aversion to trade switched from economic to social reasons. The Qing

Dynasty would have significantly benefited from Western industrial technology but mostly

scorned it. The idea stemmed from a desire to maintain traditions and a refusal to accept that

Western nations were surpassing them. By restricting Foreign trade, the Qing dynasty allowed

other nations to modernize and industrialize without seeing the potential danger of staying

behind. As a result, other countries developed dangerous tools while the Qing stayed in their

traditions.

Another crucial element for a superpower to have is economic power. The Ming Dynasty

economy achieved significant improvements in agriculture, technology, trade, and

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 manufacturing. The economy was quickly showing signs of capitalism and prosperity during this

era. Ultimately, the development of farming in the Ming Dynasty facilitated the restoration of

Chinese rule. The market economy enabled farmers to prepare more extensive areas of land,

which led to the production of cash crops, which strengthened the dynasty even more. Farmers

increased their production of crops, and merchants traded in different places. The Ming built

canals which allowed them to extend trade as far as Europe and Japan. These advancements

brought money and power to the country, simultaneously displaying capitalism and making this

one of the golden ages of China. These advancements perfectly demonstrated the success and

brilliance of the Ming dynasty. A nation's economy is one of its most essential aspects; it governs

how the country can provide for its citizens. During the Tang dynasty, the economy flourished,

and through strong leadership, many programs established improvements in trade, land

distribution, and taxation. As a result, the Tang dynasty was an extraordinary period of economic

development. Ancient Tang was increasingly affected by trade routes such as the Silk Road and

sea routes to India and other locations. This connection was crucial for the economy of the Tang

as it allowed them to trade with many societies, such as Rome and Persia. Additionally, during

the Mid-Tang Dynasty, the government established the equal field system. This system planned

to take control of land from aristocratic families. Then, they would redistribute the land to the

peasants allowing the poorer citizens to have money to pay more taxes to the government.

One more critical aspect of a superpower is its ability to maintain a functioning society.

The Tang Dynasty had a unique social structure, especially compared to the other civilizations at

the time. There were eight distinct levels to the social hierarchy, with the emperor and his family

being at the top. Everyone seemed to love and respect the emperor and his family, not out of fear

but out of the genuine respect and approval they had accumulated. Next up were the aristocrats;

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 they were wealthy and powerful, often political leaders or wealthy businessmen. Then there is

the bureaucracy, built up of scholars, poets, teachers, and officials. There were also the servants

to the emperors coming next, and lastly, there were the peasants, ordinary folk, merchants, and

enslaved people. The social hierarchy affects nearly every aspect of daily life, anywhere from

clothes to food. There were even laws created to keep people in check. Additionally, the Tang

Dynasty valued women and had much respect towards them, unlike other civilizations at the

time. The social structure was extraordinarily diverse, and it was not difficult to rise in the social

hierarchy due to some aspects of the government, which allowed people to have opportunities to

advance. The social structure allowed civilization to keep everyone in check and allow things to

run smoothly and fairly—an aspect of a prosperous society. Another example of a Dynasty that

maintained a stabilized society is the Han Dynasty. Not only did they have a three-class social

hierarchy structure, but also a strong culture and many influential religions. Han China created a

three-tiered social system. Aristocrats and bureaucrats were at the top of this hierarchy, followed

by skilled laborers like farmers and ironworkers. The bottom tier consisted of unskilled laborers

such as servants and enslaved people. The emperor was at the top where he was above all

servants, and any that addressed him were executed. The arts were also essential to Han society,

especially after calligraphy and painting gained appreciation as more than a few letters. The

development of ceramic and the spread of pottery; was so important that it became a practice to

adorn tombs with replicas of anything essential to take into the next world. Literature also

became an integral part of the Han dynasty culture as it flourished greatly during this era, mainly

because of the invention of paper. Finally, many different religions influenced Han society. The

main religions were Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism; many traditional worship practices

were also. The balance between these religions was unbelievable, as controversy was not a big

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 problem, which helped society because people respected each other's beliefs and philosophies.

Through the Chinese past, the leaders of the nation have had their highs and lows. While

no country will have exhibited constant superpower qualities throughout history, the Dynasties

have made significant movements to ensure China has always been a powerful region. A

superpower nation should allow the citizens a voice in government decisions, with a stable

government dedicated to promoting integrity and peace in and out of the nation. The Tang

Dynasty’s strong governmental system with different departments was an excellent idea that

allowed them to cover many problems at once. Furthermore, a superpower should have a strong,

self-sustaining economy, that provides access to natural resources. A combination of the major

economic advancements in the Tang Dynasty, along with the many inventions and trades of the

Ming Dynasty would help create a powerful, stable economy. Finally, a social superpower needs

to be culturally strong, with a supportive and stabilized hierarchy structure that included room

for advancements. Both the Tang and Han Dynasties had a stable society, with many different

arts that gave their society an identity. Additionally, having many religions in one empire could

have been problematic, but the Han Dynasty maintained a society without many controversies.

Finding a perfect superpower nation would be impossible, they will start with a strong idea for

the betterment of the people, but eventually, the government will move on from that idea, it is a

fact reflected by history. Especially considering we use present-day values and beliefs to criticize

nations, without considering the period. However, we can learn from these mistakes and create

better, stronger, governments in the future.

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