Power, Conflict and the Making Essay

However owners of this people were highly prohibited to mistreat them as it was against the customary law of the community to do so.

The following is the list of the title given to different people in Lao community depending on their job and duty performed in the community.

Huu muang (transl. "ear of the muang") - head of foreign affairs, diplomat

Taa muang (transl. "eye of the muang") - scholar, wise person, advisor

Kaan muang (transl. "seed of the muang") - religious head, head of cultural affairs

Haak muang (transl. "root of the muang") - astrologer, head of computation of time and Forecast

Ngau muang (transl. "trunk of the muang") - advisor, elder of the seenaa council .

Khuu muang (transl. "roof timbering of the muang") - administrators of minor political

Units, state officials faa muang (transl. "wall of the muang") - military, head of defense paa muang (transl. "roof of the muang") - members of the nobility, leading administrators, also thaao phanjaa including the chao muang tjai muang (transl. "heart of the muang") - healer, head of ritual affairs meek muang (transl. "clouds of the muang") - ancestral and guardian spirits ( Jana Raendchen, 2002)

Although there is a hierarchy of power within the Lao communities, Lao Muang did not execute absolute authority this gave him some particular attributes of democracy. The political authority heavily depended on consensus which gave room to everybody to express their feelings freely without fear. And the leaders had an obligation to answer to the concerns of the people.

besides the lao communities, there were also other dynasties this included among many the zhou dynasty and the qin dynasty of china. dating back to 200b.c a ruler who treated his subjects with dignity enjoyed the mandate of the heavens, nevertheless if he did otherwise the people had legitimate power to overthrow the unruly king, this was the practice of the zhou dynast in china.The kings were recognized as hereditary overloads ( mandate of heavens) to justly rue over the chinese people and earth. this kings of the zhou dynasty practically had no power.

In the midst of this disorder there need to develop a political philosophy that was to create a harmonious and responsible well governed state, this was eventually achieved in the fifth century B.C by Confucian (551-479 B.C). shen buchai who believed in the artistic nature of governance developed further on the ideas of Confucian, he was of the opinion that systems should be developed they are administratively controlled by persuasion and strict official responsibility.( macrae et.al.1984)

However in the qiny dynasty things were relatively different., the principle of legalism played a major role in the sense that the ruler was free to use both rewards and punishment to monitor the activities of his ministers. The ministers were to perform their duties as the ruler wished. All this made the rulers of qiny dynast to be above the law, the law systems were designed in such a manner that duties and penalties were clearly spelt out, people literally lived in fear.

References

Marc Bleacher, (1986). China Politics, Economics and Society. France Printers, London

Macrae janet and peg white, (1984). The Chinese Way, Brooks Waterloo, Sydney.

Jana Raendchen, (2012). The Socio-political and Administrative Organization of Muang in the Light of Lao Historical Manuscripts. Retrieved August 5, 2012 from http://www.laomanuscripts.net/downloads/literaryheritageoflaos31_raendchen_en.pdf

Rosita Dellios, (2003). Mandala: from Sacred Origins to Sovereign Affairs in Traditional Southeast Asia. Retrieved August 5, 2012 from http://epublications.bond.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1007&context=cewces_papers

Helmut Lukas, (2001). Theories of indianization Exemplified by Selected Case Studies from Indonesia (InsularSoutheastAsia). Retrieved August 5, 2012 from http://www.oeaw.ac.at/sozant/files/working_papers/suedostasien/soa001.pdf.....