China

The Political Philosophy of the Middle Kingdom

Häftad, Engelska, 2012

449 kr

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China is a rising economic and political power. But what is the message of this rise? Tongdong Bai addresses this increasingly pressing question by examining the rich history of political theories and practices from China's past, and showing how it impacts upon the present.Chinese political traditions are often viewed negatively as 'authoritarian' (in contrast with 'Western' democratic traditions), but the historical reality is much more complex and there is a need to understand the political values shaping China's rise. Going beyond this, Bai argues that the debates between China's two main political theories - Confucianism and Legalism - anticipate themes in modern political thought and hence offer valuable resources for thinking about contemporary political problems.Part of Zed's World Political Theories series, this groundbreaking work offers a remarkable insight into the political history and thought of a nation that is becoming increasingly powerful on the world stage.

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum2012-10-11
Mått136 x 214 x 14 mm
Vikt280 g
FormatHäftad
SpråkEngelska
SerieWorld Political Theories
Antal sidor216
FörlagBloomsbury Publishing PLC
ISBN9781780320755

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Politik och statsskick inom Samhälle och politik

Introduction1. Modernity before its time: the historical context of 'classical' Chinese political thought2. The middle way of Confucianism: humanity as the new social glue3. The middle way of Confucianism: equality-based mobile hierarchy4. Daoism: return to an age of innocence5. The Legalists: builders of modern bureaucracy and institutions6. Later developments: the middle wayConclusion: The contemporary relevance of traditional Chinese political philosophy

Tongdong Bai is a unique voice among scholars of Chinese philosophy: fluent in English and Chinese, trained in China and the US, and expert in both the natural sciences and the humanities. Not surprisingly, this erudite book sets the bar higher than previous works on the topic. While the book will interest newcomers to Chinese political philosophy, it is more than an introduction. Bai develops an original argument that ancient debates in "pre-modern" times anticipate many of the political problems of contemporary societies and provide resources for some solutions.