Blog Post #8 - Chapter 5

This chapter focused on the different social structures of China and India. Along with analyzing the difference between the patriarchal structures in China and two Greek city states Athens and Sparta. Also focusing on slavery and it uses within Roman society. I remember learning about the caste system briefly but I was unaware that it was so restrictive. That in order to move up the social ladder you have to die and be reborn. That your caste is a reflection of good and bad deeds in your past life. I was also aware that all of these societies were patriarchal, that they believed men were superior to women but reading all the practices they used to illustrate women were below men is surprising. Such as in China the ideal elite women was one that stayed in the home while other men or slaves took care of task outside the house. But a women in China played an important role in the production of textiles that could be used to sell or pay taxes. Of course there was women’s role as mother and to have children. In Athens, while it was a democratic society, women had no role at all. Similar to China women were expected to remain inside and give birth to sons who would become free citizens. Women were not taught to read or write but how to spin cloth and weave and similar tasks. But they could own personal property. In Sparta women’s main task was to have children, but to strengthen their bodies they were encouraged to participate in sports.Slavery exist in China but it played a very small role, usually in desperate situations where a person was in debt or in poverty. Similar in India people who were slaves were criminals, P.O.Ws etc. Where slavery differed in Rome is that the economy depended on it with slaves making up a big part of the population. They had no rights and were not considered citizens.