What is a political system?
Every state must answer three questions: who makes decisions, who carries them out, and who checks them. The answers form its political system. Different times and places answered differently, so comparing them helps us see why power was shared or kept in one hand.
Ancient Chinese systems
In the Zhou period, kings gave land to lords who ruled their own areas. After Qin united China (221 BCE), the emperor sent officers to run counties, and the lords lost power. This is a centralised system with an emperor at the top and a ladder of officials.
In the Sui and Tang times, the Three Departments and Six Ministries system split the work: one department drafted orders, one checked them, one carried them out through six ministries (officials, taxes, rites, army, justice, public works). It built checks inside the palace, though the emperor still held the final word.
Western systems: Greece, Rome and the modern West
In Athens, adult male citizens met in an assembly and voted directly. In Rome, a republic ran with elected consuls and a Senate. Many people (slaves, women, foreigners) were left out.
In the modern West, thinkers such as Montesquieu argued for the separation of powers: a legislature makes laws, an executive runs the state, and independent courts judge. Each can check the others (checks and balances). Citizens vote in free elections and constitutions protect rights.
Modern Chinese system
Since 1954 the People's Republic has used the people's congress system. People elect local congresses; they send delegates upward until the National People's Congress (NPC), the highest organ of state power. The NPC sets up the State Council (government), the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate. The Communist Party of China leads the state, and parties take part in consultation through the political consultative system.
Reforms in history
Over the centuries rulers reshaped the system. Qin replaced lords with sent officers. Tang added checks among departments. In the Ming, the founder removed the chief minister post (1380) to hold power closer. In the Qing, a small inner body, the Grand Council, advised the emperor directly. In the West, reforms such as written constitutions and wider voting moved power outward to more citizens. Both stories are about the balance of central control and shared power.
Try it
In step 6 tap each era and count the blocks. Which reform made the emperor's tower tallest? At home, draw your family or school as one of the four shapes. Who decides, who carries out, who checks?
Key formulas and definitions
- Political system = who decides + who carries out + who checks
- Centralised: power from the top (emperor, then officials)
- Separation of powers: legislature, executive, courts
- People's congress system: local to national congresses
Worked examples
1. What did Qin change about local rule?
It replaced lords with officers sent by the emperor to run counties, which centralised power.
2. How did the Three Departments system add checks?
One department drafted, another checked, a third carried out. An order had to pass the checking step.
3. Name one difference between Athens and a modern Western state.
Athens had direct voting by a small group of male citizens; modern states use elected representatives and give votes to most adults.
4. Why did the Ming founder remove the chief minister post?
To stop one minister from holding too much power and to keep decisions closer to the emperor.
Common mistakes
- Saying ancient China had no checks at all. The Tang system had checks inside the palace.
- Thinking Athens was a democracy for everyone. Women, slaves and foreigners had no vote.
- Mixing the three Western branches. Legislature makes laws, executive runs the state, courts judge.
- Treating all systems as the same. Each answers who decides, who acts and who checks in its own way.