Description
In what ways was the spread of christianity different from the spread of islam?
How did the confucian reforms of the Han dynasty affect Chinese government?
Explain the differences between a democracy and a republic
Explanation & Answer
1.
Islam's spread is facilitated mostly by the underlying dictum that anyone who does NOT believe in Islam should be killed and killed violently. This includes those who once believed in Islam and decided that they did not want to be Islamic anymore.
Christianity was spread primarily by believers persuading other people to voluntary follow its teachings, teachings that are generally very peaceful not only in intent but in practice.
2.
Since Confucianism was the government's official philosophy during Wudi's reign, Confucianism teachings about the family were also honored. Children were taught by birth to respect their elders. Disobeying one's parent was a crime. Even emperors had a duty to respect their parents.
Confucianism had taught that the father was the head of the family. The Han taught it was a woman's duty to obey her husband and the children to respect their father.
Children were encouraged to serve their parents. They were also expected to honor dead parents with ceremonies and offerings. All members of a family were expected to care for family burial sites.
3. 'Democracy' comes from the Greek words demos and kratos ('people power' or rule by the people'). It signifies a type of government where the people control or are the government, as opposed to rule a monarch (one ruler), a dictator (0ne ruler) or oligarchs (a few rulers).
'Republic' comes from Latin words res publica, meaning 'thing of the people'. It refers to any style of government where there is no monarch - that is, there is no king, no emperor, no shah, no sultan or any other similar position. In a monarchy, the government is effected by the monarch. So, for example, in the United Kingdom, Queen Elizabeth rules. However it is a 'constitutional monarchy, and the constitution effectively gives power to the parliament elected by the people. But in a republic, there is no such rule - the country is said to belong to 'the people' - but this can be via a president, a council or a parliament or a combination. This is what distinguishes it from a democracy - a republic can be a democracy or an oligarchy.
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