Rent-seeking behavior is when someone makes money by exploiting a system or advantageous position, rather than by creating something of real value. It’s essentially extracting profit from an existing resource without adding productive work. Simple Example Imagine you own a bridge that’s the only way to cross a river. You don’t maintain the bridge orContinue reading “Rent-Seeking”
Author Archives: looi101
Social Contract Theory
A social contract explains why individuals willingly accept limits on their freedom and submit to collective authority. It’s not a literal signed document in most cases but a theoretical framework that clarifies the moral, political, and practical reasons people form and maintain societies. Core reasons individuals enter into a social contract Security and protectionCollective enforcementContinue reading “Social Contract Theory”
Effective censorship-moral gatekeeping
Moral gatekeeping, use word or ethical arguments to shut down or delegitimise statements they disagree, particularly when those statements challenge their worldview. Moral gatekeeping, using moral language to control what can be said, displaying moral superiority to shut down debate. Using moral doctrine to make certain ideas unspeakable, you couldn’t argue for independence without seemingContinue reading “Effective censorship-moral gatekeeping”
China Martial Northern Peoples’ Identity Shift
Martial Northern Peoples were nomadic and semi-nomadic groups from the steppes, forests, and grasslands north and northwest of China proper. Group Origins & Characteristics Manchus (Jurchen) From Manchuria (modern northeast China); developed a sophisticated military-administrative system under Nurhaci and Hong Taiji; successfully conquered all of China by 1683 Mongols From the Central Asian and MongolianContinue reading “China Martial Northern Peoples’ Identity Shift”
Manchurisation during Manchus ruling China-Qing
Initial Incorporation into the Eight Banners The Han Eight Banners were officially created between 1637 and 1642, comprising primarily native inhabitants of Liaodong (modern Liaoning) who had surrendered to Nurhaci and his son Hong Taiji. These included former Ming dynasty officers and soldiers who defected, such as: Li Yongfang – Ming frontier commander, inducted intoContinue reading “Manchurisation during Manchus ruling China-Qing”
Chinese Dynasty dies – a Structure that is flawed
The Geography and Communication Problem Beyond institutional design, there was a physical constraint: distance made control impossible The sources note: China was vast — Messages took weeks or months to reach distant provinces Response took just as long — By the time Beijing learned of a problem and sent instructions, circumstances had changed The postalContinue reading “Chinese Dynasty dies – a Structure that is flawed”
The Xinhai Revolution 辛亥革命(October 1911 – February 1912)
The Xinhai Revolution (October 1911 – February 1912) The revolution began on October 10, 1911, when military forces in Wuchang (Hubei province) staged an armed uprising against Qing rule. What started as a mutiny quickly spread across the country. Within weeks, multiple provinces declared independence from Qing control, effectively dismantling the empire’s administrative authority. TheContinue reading “The Xinhai Revolution 辛亥革命(October 1911 – February 1912)”
The Term of Middle Kingdom – historical reference to China
The term originates from ancient Chinese cosmology and geography. The Chinese historically viewed their civilization as the center of the known world, with all other lands and peoples positioned at the periphery. This wasn’t merely arrogance—it reflected the reality that China was the dominant civilization in East Asia for much of recorded history, with theContinue reading “The Term of Middle Kingdom – historical reference to China”
Why China didn’t Break into Fractured Several Small States Like Europe
The Chinese system attached a negative cultural label to non-Han peoples: Non-Han peoples were called “barbarians” (蛮, 夷, 戎, 狄) — These weren’t neutral terms; they implied savagery, lack of civilization, and cultural inferiority This wasn’t merely ethnic distinction — It was a moral and cultural judgment: non-Han peoples were seen as lacking refinement, virtue,Continue reading “Why China didn’t Break into Fractured Several Small States Like Europe”
Han Chinese Identity
The Han Chinese themselves are the product of centuries of absorption and integration of different people’s across vast geographic regions. Han Chinese is not monolithic but rather a mixed population shaped by thousand of years prolonged processes of expansion, absorption and assimilation, resulting I considerable regional and cultural variation. Han Chinese majority itself is deeplyContinue reading “Han Chinese Identity”
