Critical Thinking
(page 38)
a. The
Great Wall and the Taj Mahal are the creations of autocratic rulers. Present
your view for or against this statement.
In an autocracy, power remains in the hands of a
single person. The autocratic political system has the feature of fear and
control. Historically, autocracies have been represented by absolute monarchs
and military dictators. Autocratic leaders usually make choices that rely on
their ideas and judgments. They hardly accept any advice from followers.
The Great Wall of China was built by Qin Shi Huang.
He was an autocrat. The Taj Mahal was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in
memory of his beloved wife Mumtaj. Shah Jahan was also an autocrat. According
to historians, 300,000 soldiers and 500,000 common people (slaves) were involved
in constructing the original Great Wall under Emperor Qin, but this number was
in millions. Many soldiers and slaves were killed and buried under the Great
Wall itself. 1,000 elephants and more than 20,000 workers from India, Persia,
Europe, and the Ottoman Empire were brought in to build the Taj Mahal. Many
labourers were killed and buried.
Both the Great Wall of China and the Taj Mahal were
built under the ruling power of the autocrat. Unskilled, semi-skilled, and
skilled labourers, along with talented artisans, were used to build them. They
were being built to be immortal, gaining popularity and dedication to their
loved ones.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjlydnRqcmw
b.
How do
you describe the pros and cons of feudalism?
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-fPvTYRGwE
Feudalism was a combination of legal, economic, military, and cultural
customs. It is also known as the feudal system. It was popular in Medieval
Europe between the 9th to 15th centuries. The feudal system had the provision of
social and economic security to the lower-class members of society. The
landlords could not deprive the vassals of their land. Vassals were dependent
landholders in feudal society. The landlords had to care for them during their
disability. The system helped people develop qualities like loyalty, bravery,
generosity, humility, and courtesy. Associations between lords and vassals were
based on a high respect for truth and the promised word. The vassals showed
every possible courtesy to the lords and served them with loyalty and humility.
In return, the landlords revealed love and kindness to the vassals.
Pros of feudalism
·
Feudalism saved the land
from foreign invaders.
·
Landlords were able to save
the land from the tyranny of the King.
·
Slavery could not flourish
in Europe due to feudalism.
·
Soldiers showed their
bravery. They saved vassals from autocratic landlords.
·
They also showed honour to
women.
·
The relationship between the
landlords and vassals was pleasant. They fulfilled the need of each other.
Cons of feudalism
·
Feudalists divided the
society into two classes, i.e. feudal class and the farmers.
·
There were regular wars
among the landlords. Vassals had to favour the landlord. It discourages
nationalism.
·
Due to feudalism, political
unity was lost. So, the sovereign state could not be created in Europe.
·
Feudalism made a deplorable
condition of vassals. They could not earn their livelihood from a small area of
land.
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