"Éclats du monde" N°22: The art of vassalization, lessons from the world before for the world of tomorrow

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History has shown that vassalization can have unfortunate consequences for vassal states. However, the dominant are not immune to reversals of fortune in a world in perpetual motion. China is certainly the country to have pushed the concept of vassalization the furthest. During centuries of Chinese domination over Asia, the toll was heavy for the vassal states of the Middle Kingdom. China received gold, silver, fabrics or rare varieties of rice. But also tributes in the form of servants, eunuchs, virgin daughters or royal princesses, to serve the court of the emperor. At the center of everything, the Celestial Empire felt that it exercised power over the rest of the world, populated by "barbarians". And all diplomatic and commercial missions were interpreted as implying a relationship of submission; Any gift received from a foreign country was considered "tribute".

The "mandate of the...

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