Old Tyrannia wrote:Zostra wrote:Trying to decided between three directions for southern China.
1.) "Republic of Aristocrats" Technically a democratic republic, but dominated by the moneyed and propertied classes to the point of plutocracy. Economically prosperous and industrializing, but massive wealth inequality and social problems remain.
2.) "Progressive Authoritarianism" A nation in which dissent and political opposition is clamped down on. Power is concentrated in the hands of a single ruling party which is relatively liberal outside the area of political rights and intent on dragging the country into modernity. Of course the old ruling class and conservatives are deeply opposed to this modernization. Somewhat similar to Ataturk's Turkey.
3.) Constitutional Monarchy. In the British style, the monarch exerts much informal power both politically and socially. However, governing power is devolved to elected parliamentary government. Conservatives, gentry, businessmen, liberals, populists, and socialists all battle for political supremacy as the king tries to keep the country together.
I still feel that a Chinese state with a very Western model of government and society would make little sense in our timeline. Why would the centre of East Asian civilisation adopt Western ideas in a world where East Asia has always had parity with the West?
Well it would still remain tied into global trade networks like the Song, bringing in outside knowledge. If other Song trends continued there would also be a sizable "middle class" of sorts alongside a general diffusion of art and literature through more of the population. With this in mind, western influences could combine with shifting local beliefs to form new ways of thinking and governance. Although there would remain a rough parity with the west, China has historically undergone dips and crisis which could lead to this upheaval as well. Of course any new government would still be uniquely Chinese and my descriptions are pretty simplistic. I see your point though, it would be strange for south China to be completely western in its outlook.