Classical India Dbq Essay

Answers and Equivalencies

Does God exist if there is no one who believes in him? If we are to govern ourselves, what methods should we use to go about this? These questions are the focus of religious and political philosophical scholars. Humans have been wondering about these questions as long as there has been sedentary life. In the ancient times of hunter-gatherer societies, people were too focused on surviving that day to think about divinities that were beyond the crops and animals they needed to eat. The onset of agriculture and domestication allowed for sedentary lifestyles. These new innovations made day to day work less burdensome and thus allowed for people to ponder on the meaning of life and who created it all. Two ancient sedentary societies that focused on these questions prominently were the Zhou dynasty and the Classical India era. China had a religion but explored the philosophical questions more. India chose the religious route instead. Despite the difference in approaches, …show more content…
Their empirical system was decentralized with lesser provincial leaders spread throughout the country. This allowed for greater unity and solidification until the era of the warring states. The philosophy of the ruling Zhou, one example of which was King Mu, was known as the Mandate of Heaven. The Mandate of Heaven had many facets that determined how kings ruled over China, such as governing conscientiously and being fair and wise to one’s subjects. The consequences of disobeying such tenants was the loss of power, either through invasion or mutiny. For this reason, China remained unified under the Zhou without relying on religion. The citizens of China were willing to follow their leader because they were aware if the leader did anything harmful to them, he would lose his position. Conversely, the people of classical India did not maintain much faith in their rulers but remained united through