Why ancient Chinese political thought matters : four dialogues on China's past, present, and future / Daniel A. Bell.
| Author/creator | Bell, Daniel, 1964- author. |
| Format | Book |
| Publication | Princeton : Princeton University Press, [2026] |
| Description | xii, 285 pages ; 22 cm |
| Subjects |
| Contents | Introduction: Four great debates of Chinese political thought -- On harmony and freedom: or, should obligations between family members be legally enforced? Confucius on harmony ; Zhuangzi on freedom ; A harmonious outcome? -- On law and ritual: or, how to combat corruption? Han Feizi on law ; Xunzi on ritual ; The banquet -- On the uses of art: or, should the community subsidize culture? Mozi's critique of music ; Xunzi/Yueji's defense of music ; The decision -- On the mortality of warfare: or, how to think about the use of military power? Shang Yang on amoral warfare ; Mencius on just and unjust war ; Politburo meeting -- Atogaki: what's wrong with this book? |
| Abstract | "China's most original, diverse, and fascinating political debates took place more than two millennia ago, but they have profoundly shaped Chinese political thinking and practice ever since and, remarkably, their influence on the country's leaders is only growing today. Yet these timeless debates--which are very likely to influence the answers to such questions as whether China should use military force to take control of Taiwan--are still far too little understood in the West. In this enlightening and entertaining book, Daniel Bell, a leading expert on Chinese political thought, takes the greatest thinkers from China's past--Confucius, Mencius, Xunzi, Shang Yang, Han Feizi, Zhuangzi, and Mozi--and puts them in dialogue with each other in modern settings. The result is a creative and engaging introduction to ancient Chinese political thought that reveals its relevance to the future of China and the rest of the world. Before China's unification in 221 BCE, the brilliant political thinkers who founded Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism, and Mohism roamed from state to state, argued with each other, and tried to persuade rulers to follow their ideas. Bell draws on their debates--about such perennial issues as war, corruption, government involvement in family life, and whether the state should subsidize culture--to create vivid imaginative dialogues about important contemporary social and political controversies. China's political thinking is rooted in its past. Understanding what ancient Chinese political thought can teach us about today's critical debates is essential to understanding the future of China and the world." -- Publisher's description. |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references and index. |
| Issued in other form | ebook version : 9780691279817 |
| ISBN | 9780691279800 |
| ISBN | 0691279802 |
| ISBN | PDF ebook |
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