Blog Entry #4

New ideas in politics and philosophy tend to emerge in times of social, political, and/or economic stress? How can this be explained?

The reason that new ideas in politics and philosophy tend to emerge in times of social political and/or economic stress is because people believe that with new policies or ideas, their society will be better. The reason people think this is because they are being logical. They are saying that since the present political leader and his/her philosophy, are not working, they need change. This can be seen today in the presidential campaigns. Since President Bush’s leadership policies have not been working to America’s benefits (i.e. the economy crisis, relief work for Hurricane Katrina etc.), the two candidates are calling for change. They each have their own ideas and philosophies about how they will change America for the better. Another example of when a time of stress led to political change and new philosophies emerging was during the Qin dynasty. The Qin ruled under a Legalistic way, which sent the population into an uproar. Their dynasty was so short because their policies made the population upset and wanting a changed political government with better philosophies of how to rule. The Han became such a successful dynasty after the Qin because they answered the people’s call of a changed government and more humane philosophy of ruling. In conclusion the reason one can see in history and the modern day how political, social and/or economic stress leads to a change in political governing and way of ruling is because the population realizes that the original way does not work and that they need a new one.

After learning more about the Classical Period and listening to lectures about the many developments made in its time, I believe that population growth was the most important development of the Classical Period. The Classical Period has been given this name because it is looked back in history as an all-around good and successful period in time. Why was it such an abundant time though? It was defiantly not due to the technological advancements, considering there were barley any made. I believe the secret to the Classical Period’s time of prosperity was due to the growth in population. Neil Diamond said that a big reason for the unfairness in terms of development around the world is due to the fact that some regions have bigger populations than others. This leaves opportunities for other people in that region to have time to work on technological advancements. This theory also applies to the Classical Period situation. With a bigger population there was enough people to become acquainted in different professions, such as merchants. With a larger population, the world began to experience trade. New ideas were brought from the Far East to the far West on roads such as the Silk Road or Roman roads. Larger Populations meant larger armies, the military is what lead to major roads being built and these roads are what merchants used to travel on. In conclusion without the surge of population growth, the Classical Period would not have been worthy of such a name.

Blog #2-Biggest change of Classical Period

I believe that the biggest changed that occurred during the classical period was the start of successful conquests for large empires. Preceding the Classical Period there had been empires but no empire before the Classical Period had been as large and dominant as those of this time. These establishments of large and successful empires are what lead to all the other changes occurring in the Classical Period. For example large regions began successful networks of trade between each other, such as the trading of silk between Asia and the Mediterranean. Another change the unification of large regions brought on was Syncretism. For example Alexander the Great’s conquest brought India and the Mediterranean together in trade. A statue sculpted by an Indian sculptor of Buddha was found sculpted clothed in Greek style clothes. Although there was not a large technological breakthrough in this period, the unification of large regions brought with it a large social breakthrough between people.