Comparison of Ideological and Cultural Foundations of Contemporary Chinese and Western Political Systems

On the Differences between Chinese and Western Political Systems from the Perspective of Chinese and Western Cultures (2009-05-27 2 1:36:33) Tags: Culture

In short, this is due to the historical and cultural differences between China and the West, resulting in a series of different governance systems. In layman's terms, for example, because two people have different cultures and education, they have different world outlook, outlook on life and values, so their lifestyles will be different and different from person to person. Similarly, it varies from country to country, from region to region, from culture to geography.

The development of western culture originated from ancient Greece and Rome, with ancient Greece as the source and China as the source. First of all, geographically, China is surrounded by a closed inland, separated by mountains, plateaus and the sea, while Greece is composed of peninsulas and fragmented islands, and belongs to the maritime nature. China's closed geographical environment has played a great role. In ancient times, China was located on a great plain in Ma Pingchuan, and the survival of the nation was closely related to the river. As early as ancient times, floods flooded. It is said that Dayu controlled the flood of the Yellow River, so Dayu was sung through the ages. During the Five Emperors, it was difficult for people to deal with the forces of nature, so they were afraid of nature. Therefore, this is a clan tribal system based on gathering to deal with nature. Because of water, Dayu concentrated backward means of production, and from then on, production was concentrated, which continued to develop to the Qi Dynasty and gradually formed a centralized system. When Dayu and his son destroyed the five emperors, they turned to centralized thinking to guide and control the people, which was also suitable for the national conditions of a big country and inevitable caused by natural environmental factors. In the Western Zhou Dynasty, the emperor system was really formed, and the Duke of Zhou was founded.

Because state power is concentrated between a family and a surname, this makes clan and blood relationship particularly important in politics. The expansion of consanguinity led to the emergence of patriarchal clan system, thus locking the political system in authoritarian centralization. In the east, there are only nobles under the control of the emperor, and there are no relatively independent nobles. The supreme power of the country is in the hands of the son of heaven. In order to safeguard our own interests, we must eliminate the rights lost abroad. Therefore, the ancient scholars in China would feel safe only if they were unified, which is one of the reasons why there was no new unification after the demise of the Western Roman Empire. The dynasties in China have a lot to do with this. In addition, China is a farming nation, and it will stay in one place for a long time in production, so it has a long-term continuation basis. China people depend on the weather to eat, so they can't force the wind and rain, so they are culturally tolerant, receptive, easy-going and easy to govern. The development of Confucian culture is based on this, and China, a national culture that values harmony, is very important. China is becoming more and more authoritarian.

The unique coastal geographical environment of ancient Greece changed this situation, thus creating its openness and independence. Many city-states are independent because they are not connected and affiliated with each other. In addition, because their geographical climate is not suitable for agricultural production and agricultural economy is backward, in order to survive, the ancient Greeks must expand their living space, their relative handicrafts and commerce will inevitably develop, overseas migration will become possible and society will be open. The cross-sea trade activities are enthusiastic, which leads to the development of business and the expansion of the industrial and commercial class. Cross-sea migration leads to the disconnection of blood relationship, thus separating the country from the family. For the protection of private property, they take contract and law as the basis of reconciliation, so the west is becoming more and more democratic, open and independent.

Ideologically and culturally, China advocated harmony as the most important thing, and implemented benevolent policies. People in China can't get rid of the influence of their families. People must be attached to the family, the family must be attached to the clan, the clan must be attached to the tribe, and the tribe must be attached to the country. So culturally, China people are based on "loyalty and filial piety", and all his activities are controlled by his family. Because their health is directly related to the long-term stability of the country, China people have no relative freedom. To establish a position, one must first have the right to speak in this group, and one's success will inevitably affect a group of people. Therefore, China people pay attention to collective interests above all else, and individual interests can be harmed for the sake of collective interests. In the west, people only perform their duties through contracts. Due to the great migration across the sea, people have gained independent property and independent personality, and their relationship is balanced by law. Therefore, individualism is very strong, private property is inviolable, and their legal awareness is very strong. So in the west, father and son can eat AA, which is not available in China.

From this point of view, the cultural concepts formed by China and the West are different, so the national political system established on this basis will not be the same. We have experienced history and we must face it squarely. China's unique culture cannot be criticized too much. Because of the introduction of market economy and the prominence of individualism, various uncivilized phenomena in society will gradually increase. It's ridiculous to call China autocracy without thinking about the internal affairs of China. Our history is different from that of the people, and our culture is different from that of the people. A country without history and culture can't be called a country, and how can a person without historical and cultural awareness be qualified to be a China person?