Coercion and Socialization in the Ming Chinese International Order

• In Event: Narratives, Ideas, and Ideologies in International History

Abstract

The nature and sources of the early modern east Asian international order have been a major topic of discussion in modern international relations theory. Existing explanations largely focus either on the dominance of Confucian norms or on material factors like international trade. Here, I argue that each of these approaches is at least sometimes problematic given the historical record. I reconstruct a stylized history of the system as an evolutionary equilibrium, in which initial hegemonic coercion focalized expectations in the region around centralized trade and security cooperation. In this view, tribute served a reassurance purpose, allowing political elites to rearticulate their commitment to the behavioral equilibrium. I use this perspective to explain the boundaries of the so-called “tribute system,” the extent to which it persisted through Ming hegemonic decline, and the ability of the subsequent Qing dynasty to keep the system in place.

Author

• David Peterson, Ohio State University