Compare and contrast the Chinese government bureaucracy under the Tang and Song dynasties. How was it similar? How did it differ?
(4 points)
Similarities:
1. Both the Tang and Song dynasties had a centralized bureaucracy that was responsible for running the government and administering policies throughout the empire.
2. Both dynasties relied on a system of meritocracy, where officials were selected based on their abilities and performance on civil service exams.
3. The bureaucratic system in both dynasties had a hierarchical structure, with officials being organized into different levels of authority.
Differences:
1. The Tang dynasty had a more decentralized system of governance, with power being shared between the central government and regional military governors. In contrast, the Song dynasty had a more centralized system with greater control by the central government.
2. The Tang dynasty had a larger bureaucracy with a greater number of government officials and administrative departments compared to the Song dynasty.
3. The Tang dynasty had a military-dominated bureaucracy, where military leaders often held key government positions. In contrast, the Song dynasty had a stronger emphasis on civil officials running the bureaucracy.
Overall, while both the Tang and Song dynasties had centralized bureaucracies based on meritocracy, they differed in terms of decentralization, size, and the role of the military in governance.