The Transfer of Power in Kingdoms and the Dynamics of the Political Processes in Western Han

Abstract

This paper investigates the interaction between the state system stability and the kingdoms system stability in the Western Han Empire, according to The Records of the Grand Historian written by Sima Qian and The Book of Han by Ban Gu. The stability of kingdoms system determines by the rate of legitimacy of the transfer of power in the kingdoms. The research also sheds a light on the reasons of the violation of the order of succession, including the rate of violent deaths of princes in the kingdoms. The paper quantitatively proves that the stability of the state system in Western Han requires the permanent instability at the level of kingdoms.