Specify The Rise And Fall Of The Service System

The Appointed Service System was first proposed by Mr. Xu Zhongshu. This definition has played a prominent role in the research on social exploitation system during the Pre-Qin period. Although domestic scholars continue to study on the Appointed Service System, few of them can capture the essence of it. Basing on the research of scholars, this essay aims to build up a better framework for the development of the Appointed Service System, so as to contribute to the research of social exploitation system in Pre-Qin and the developing process of early state.The author divides the essay into four parts and discusses the reasons for the existence of the Appointed Service System, the prosperity of it, the process of its decline and the historical functions of it. In the first chapter, the main topic is the reasons for the formation of the Appointed Service System. Since China developed through the way of combining the government and family at the early time during which Chinese ancient society stepped in to the early state phase, the society remained strong primitive characters and was filled with a large number of kindred groups which brought difficulties to the primitive government. So it became necessary for the governors to exploit through a way which appeared to be mild and could be easily implemented, when the centralized power was not able to break down the barrier of commune. That was how the Appointed Service System, which centered on the quantitive and qualitative tribute paying and service, came into being. Besides, conquest and the patriarchal force were the two main extrinsic factors for its existence.In the second chapter, the author researches specifically on the historical conditions in Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties. The author also rearranges the Appointed Service System in these three dynasties especially in Shang dynasty, using the documents and archeological discoveries. In the author's opinion, some certain tribal name or tribal insignia was probably the outward form of the Appointed Service System. And it existed as a symbol of the task which was given by the governor to a family or a tribe. After Western Zhou dynasty, the emperor implemented the patriarchal legal system all around the country. As a result, the leuds entitled in manner of enfeoffment were twisted together tightly by the patriarchal nest. And the Appointed Service System turned out to be an obligation of paying tribute. So the Appointed Service System, losing most of its living space, was confined to a state. Inevitably, the "Six Tribes in Shang" and "Seven Tribes in Shang", who were appointed by the royal family, had to shoulder the main responsibility of the service which came from the Appointed Service System.In the third chapter, the author classifies the quantitive and qualitative tribute paying into the Appointed Service System to discuss. In the author's point of view, the purpose of traditional service was to make the resources of the whole country become the properties of the royal family by quantifying and qualifying them. This was actually a disguised form of the Appointed Service System.In the forth chapter, the author discussed specifically the reasons for the decline of the Appointed Service System. The author believes that the endless greed of the governor was the direct reason why the Appointed Service System could not be maintained. What's more, the prevailing action of "cultivating new land and servicing the rural area", and the expansion of territory made the Appointed Service System difficult to be maintained. At the time of Spring and Autumn Period and Warring States Period, with the gradual loosing of blood tie and the unprecedented improvement of individual awareness, the time that patriarchs controlled the tribe had passed. Definitely, it was replaced by some tax collections which directly aimed at individual families. In addition, commodity circulation broke through the obstacle of one-lot-per-tribe system and was spread to the whole country. More consumables could be bought from the market and the daily need of the governors was no longer supplied by the Appointed Service System.Since the day the Appointed Service System came into being, it accorded to the productivity level of the early state. Its maintenance was the material foundation of the government body. When tribes were in vogue, even if the royal family had strong power, the tribes were inevitably separated and were relatively independent. It had affected the stability of the whole and made the Appointed Service System possible. At that time, the Appointed Service System had become the main tie between the central power and the local authorities.