The dragon and the eagle : the rise and fall of the Chinese and Roman empires / by Sunny Y. Auyang.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Auyang, Sunny Y., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

China--History--Qin dynasty, 221-207 B.C.

China.

History.

China--History--Han dynasty, 202 B.C.-220 A.D.

Rome--History--Empire, 284-476.

Rome.

Rome (Empire).

Imperialism.

Physical Description:

xxvi, 398 pages : illustrations, maps ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Armonk, New York : M.E. Sharpe, Inc., [2014]

Summary:

The Dragon and the Eagle: The Rise and Fall of the Chinese and Roman Empires offers fresh, provocative insights with contemporary resonance that will engage, delight, and enlighten history buffs, students, and professional historians. Drawing on both Western and Chinese-language sources, author Sunny Y Auyang brings comparative history to a new level in a narrative that is analytically sophisticated but completely jargon-free and strikingly independent As symbols, the Dragon and the Eagle denote the eastern and western styles of exercising power and maintaining order over the course of ancient Chinese and Roman ascent and decline. While historical comparisons bring out uncanny parallels, the author's analysis of the strategies of imperial power and the impact of ideological, political, military, socioeconomic, and ethno-demographic forces uncovers the roots of the Eagle's penchant for militarism and Wealth domination, and the Dragon's proclivity for bureaucracy and ideological indoctrination. Requiring no deep knowledge of either Chinese or Roman history, the book puts intelligibility first and provides ample explanations. In addition to a pronunciation guide, maps, and timelines, the author has created a web site that juxtaposes and compares visual images from the two empires with memorable effect. Visit this exciting glimpse into the ancient Chinese and Roman empires at chinaandrome.org. Book jacket.

Contents:

Part I The Roman Republic and Pre-Imperial China

1 Nation Formation 1

1.1 The Old World of Civilization 3

1.2 The Advantage of Openness to Diversity 6

1.3 The Mosaic of China 9

1.4 Zhou Cities Among Pastoralists 11

1.5 The Mosaic of Italy 16

1.6 Latin Colonies and Hill Peoples 18

1.7 War, Policy, and the Melting Pot 21

2 State Building 26

2.1 Blood, Iron, Ideas, and State Building 26

2.2 Technology and the Economy 30

2.3 Tradition and Social Relations 34

2.4 Conflict and Merger of the Orders in Rome 38

2.5 Backlash of Closing Imperial Frontiers 40

2.6 How Democratic Was the Roman Republic? 43

2.7 Feudalistic Parceling of Sovereignty in China 48

2.8 A New Elite in a Socioeconomic Revolution 53

2.9 The Rule by Law and the Rule by Man 56

2.10 From Aristocracy to Monarchy 64

2.11 Slavery and Freedom 67

3 Empire Building 76

3.1 The Advantage of the Periphery 76

3.2 Qin in a System of States 79

3.3 From Balance of Power to Unification 83

3.4 The Punic Wars 85

3.5 An Empire of Liberty 93

3.6 Wars Just and Unjust 96

3.7 The Warrior State and the Warring States 101

3.8 Wars and War Conduct 105

4 Winning the Peace 115

4.1 The Empire Strikes Back 115

4.2 Decline of the Roman Republic 118

4.3 Last Flight of the Free Eagle 121

4.4 The Dawn of Imperial China 126

4.5 Regret of the Overextended Dragon 130

4.6 Rupture and Continuity 141

Part II The Roman and Early Chinese Empires

5 Courses of Empire 151

5.1 Pax Romana and Pax Sinica 151

5.2 Augustus and His Dynasty 155

5.3 Militarism in the Roman Peace 159

5.4 Roman Anarchy and Revival 163

5.5 United China Takes Root 165

5.6 Confucianism Ascending 168

5.7 The Han's Descent into Anarchy 176

5.8 Colored Glasses of Historiography 179

6 Arts of Government 187

6.1 Imperial Characters 187

6.2 The Ruler and the Ruled 190

6.3 The Imperator and the Huangdi 194

6.4 The Government and the Elite 197

6.5 The Emperor and the Government 202

6.6 State and Society 205

6.7 The Myth of "Big Government" 208

6.8 Taxation and the Economy 212

6.9 Law and Order 215

7 Strategies of Superpower 227

7.1 Eurasian Geopolitics 227

7.2 China's Loose Rein 233

7.3 Isolationism Ascendant 238

7.4 Rome's Empire Without End 241

7.5 Defense Resources Strained 245

7.6 Imperial Grand Strategies 248

7.7 Hegemonic Statecraft 252

7.8 Frontier Defenses 258

8 Decline and Fall 267

8.1 Glorious Sunset Clouds 267

8.2 Barbarians and Nomads 272

8.3 Social Coagulation 277

8.4 Political Corruption 280

8.5 Internal Discords and Civil Wars 284

8.6 End of the Han Dynasty 288

8.7 Revenge of the Xiongnu 291

8.8 Coming of the Huns 293

8.9 The Fall of Rome 297

8.10 Tomorrow Never Dies 303.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 355-375) and index.

ISBN:

9780765643698

0765643693

9780765643704

0765643707

OCLC:

862588886