State Formation through Emulation (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781009098533)

Neither war nor preparations for war were the cause or effect of state formation in East Asia. Instead, emulation of China--the hegemon with a civilizational influence--drove the rapid formation of centralized, bureaucratically administered, territorial governments in Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. Furthermore, these countries engaged in state-building not to engage in conflict or to suppress revolt. In fact, war was relatively rare and there was no balance of power system with regular existential threats--the longevity of the East Asian dynasties is evidence of both the peacefulness of their neighborhood and their internal stability. We challenge the assumption that the European experience with war and state-making was universal. More importantly, we broaden the scope of state formation in East Asia beyond the study of China itself and show how countries in the region interacted and learned from each other and China to develop strong capacities and stable borders.

Author: Chin-Hao Huang, David C. Kang
ISBN-10: 1009098535
ISBN-13: 9781009098533
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Language: English
Published: 08/04/2022
Pages: 270
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.12lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.63d

Review Citation(s):
Choice 04/01/2023