Chapter 5: Society and Inequality in Eurasia/North Africa

Society and Inequality in Eurasia/North Africa

• 500 B.C.E-500 C.E. 
• "Gain is pure joy"-an expression the entrepreneurial spirit of the town
• Chinese civilizatinos took shape during the Han dynasty(elite thinking)
• Women learned to "lowly and weak",  "humble herself before others", and "her primary duty was to be industrious"
• The women of the houes was subordinate as a wife and daughter-in-law
• The mom was able to exercise the importance of authority a mother-in-law needed when her son married. 
• Women got leverage in the marriage-dowry
• Womens job was to produce textiles to pay taxed or sell commercially
• Womens lives were more complex during confusious 
• “Merchants… did not enjoy such a favorable reputation on the eyes of China’s cultural elite” (198)
• 3 social classes, Elite Officials, Peasants, and Merchants
• Elite officials: had wealth and moved up in rankings of social classes. "Landlords of large estates were often bale to avoid paying taxes, thus decreasing state revanues and increasing the tax burden for the remaining peasants" (strayer 194). THey could, "mount their own military forces that might challenge the authority of the emperor.
• Peasants: In china a majority of the population happened to be peasants. Some of the peasants owned enough land to support their family and maybe sell at the local market. "...large landlords and work as tenants or sharecroppers on their estates, where rents could run as high as one-half to two-thirds of the crop (196). In India the social class for a peasant is much lower.
• Merchants: "Merchants...did not enjoy such a faborable reupation on the eye of CHina's cultural elite" (198). Merchants were stereotyped and looked down upon.
• Overall, in the chapter, I was more interested in learning about the Caste Ststem and how it differs from India. The Caste system is a term that comes from the Portuguese word "casta", wich means race or purity of blood. The caste ststem was another way to determine the social status in both civilizations. The social life in India starts from priests, warriors, farmers merchants, and outcasts. The class you are put into will be it for the rest of your life.