Constructivism is sufficient to explain China at the center from 221 BC to 1940

Main Events:.

Firstly, it’s important to note that unlike European history, East Asia was an hegemonic system rather than a multipolar balance of power system. From the time of the Han dynasty, East Asia has mostly been Hegemonic. Kang and Ma state that the Chinese have established themselves as an identity of what imperial China should look like. So, even when China was weaker, that identity is what helped them maintain their regional dominance. China did fall apart during this time, but it was always for internal reasons- something that realists don’t always take into account because they assume that states are rational unitary actors.

Scholarship on these 2000 years of Chinese history as stagnant, repetitive and unchanging however East asian history has astonishing continuity and some remarkable change as well. East Asia grew, changed, evolved, and innovated as much or more than any other region on the planet, and scholarship on war and violence should reflect that historical reality. The Qin dynasty from 200 years ago had no other recognizable counterparts. By the 4th to 6th centuries, however, recognizable countries—institutionalized, territorially delimited, centrally administered—had begun to emerge in Korea and Japan. The biggest lesson to draw from East Asian history is the dangers of internal challenges rather than external threats. Only three of the eighteen dynastic transitions before 1920 came as a result of external war.

The Han Dynasty that lasted from 206 BC till 220 AD established foundations laid by the Qin dynasty and more importantly, established tributary relations with bordering areas. Tributary relations were established with people that they had the most trouble with where surrounding nations (Korea, Vietnam, Japan, and others) acknowledged Chinese supremacy in exchange for trade and protection. They would send representatives to come to Chinese cities with gifts, in exchange of avoiding a cold war, framed in a way that was a mutually beneficial arrangement. The Han dynasty also expanded the silk road, making China a global trade hub, being the first developers of paper, compasses, steel and porcelain.

China then transitioned to the Tang Dynasty (618 -907) where they maintained dominance demonstrating morally based awesomeness. Other states accepted their inferior place in the hierarchy relative to China at the time. This is when investiture - recognition of a kind as legitimate rule of a territory nearby. Kings bow down to Chinese emperors and come with back gifts and with “honor of being recognized by the emperor that allows them to claim that they are a legitimate ruler of the state. Here, East Asia constructed a hierarchy. **add more on this” Nations accepting inferiority contradicts realist idea of pragmatic nation.

Furthermore, the Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644) is where the tribute system was in full bloom where Korea’s Yi Dynasty (1392 - 1910) organized 3-4 tribute missions a year. This is also a time when bandwagoning was rising in popularity which is something that realism does not expect. China was a rising power at the time, and realism states that other states should work together to fight against a rising power to balance the system. Instead, countries were joining forces with the stronger state even if the stronger state gained more from the alliances. They bandwagoned with the Chinese empire because Confucian ideology defined China as the legitimate center of civilization and they accepted the stronger state's values and legitimacy. Constructivism emphasizes how international norms pressure states into following dominant trends. During the Cold War, some countries aligned with the U.S. or USSR based on ideological identification (democracy vs. communism), not just power politics. Similarly, in Qin China (221 BC), many states submitted because Qin’s Legalist system was seen as an inevitable new order.

Qing China (1644 - 1912) rose much quicker and bigger than any other dynasty, with many more states paying tribute including Korea, Vietnam, Burma, Ryukyus and Central Asia. There was pretty much 500 years of relative peace compared to Europe.

There are 3 hypotheses for China’s predominance. Firstly, China followed Confucian advice (tributaries responding to it’s benevolence and virtue. Secondly, tribute states figured out it was rational to avoid war : neighbors deferring just enough to avoid China taking them over and benefit from stability (realist subtext of Kang and Ma). Lastly, Over centuries these nations interacted extensively under hierarchy and developed a culture that allowed the system to operate smoothly (constructivist subtext of Kang and Ma)

(pick one)