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| On the Chinese Culture-Education State： Based on a Macro-Historical Comparison with the Ancientand Modern States of the West |
| Yao Zhongqiu |
| (School of International Studies， Centre for Studies of Historical-Political Science， Renmin University of China， Beijing 100872) |
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Abstract Religion and government are the two main mechanisms for a state to bind the people. The relationship shaped by religion， which works as a track laying machine， determines the underlying structural form of the state. In China， the ruling government in the system of prefectures and counties established in the Qin Dynasty absorbed Confucianism and formed a culture-education state. The Confucius culture-education supported political power， so the government had moral legitimacy and political autonomy， empowering itself to directly rule the people and construct their national identity. The process of building a modern state along this historical path was finalized with an enhanced cultue-education state. In the West， however， the religion oppressed the secular government that lacked moral legitimacy and political autonomy， and thus lacked the necessary power of coverage and penetration. In ancient times， therefore， it could not compete with the church， so the church was dominating in Europe. In modern times， government strengthened its power， but still relied on religion to construct people’s national identity， resulting in the formation of self-sanctified nations and national states. The church was transformed into a society， and the society was self-sanctified to compete with the power of the government， resulting in the formation of a liberal state. In terms of direct rule and national identity， the Chinese culture-education state performs better than the Western nation-state and liberal state.
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Received: 25 May 2022
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2022, Vol. 61 
