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Difficulty: EasyState Building and Governance in South and Southeast Asia

A description of the Kingdom of Sanfoqi (Srivijaya) from the *Lingwai Daida* by Chinese writer Zhou Qufei, 1178 CE:

'This country has no natural products of its own, but its people are skilled in fighting on water. Because it lies in the middle of the ocean, it controls the strait through which all foreign ships must pass. In the past, ships that passed by without entering were attacked and destroyed. Therefore, this country has become a great center of trade, where merchants from many lands gather to exchange goods. The king uses the wealth gained from taxing this trade to support his administration and maintain his authority over the surrounding islands.'

Based on the passage, which of the following was the primary method of state-building and governance used by the rulers of Srivijaya?

  1. A
    The introduction of a centralized bureaucracy based on Neo-Confucian civil service examinations
  2. B
    The establishment of a decentralized system based on European-style feudal lord-vassal relationships
  3. The taxation and control of maritime commerce passing through key trade routesAnswer
  4. D
    The utilization of seasonal monsoon winds to construct a natural defensive barrier against foreign invaders

Answer

The taxation and control of maritime commerce passing through key trade routes
The passage explicitly states that the king of Srivijaya used the wealth gained from taxing trade passing through the straits to support his administration and maintain authority. This demonstrates how trade-based revenue was central to state-building and governance in maritime Southeast Asian empires like Srivijaya.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Read the Chinese source describing Sanfoqi (Srivijaya) and highlight references to how the king maintained power.
The passage notes that the king controlled the strait, forced ships to enter, and used the wealth from taxing this trade to support his administration and authority.
This helps establish the direct link between state administration and commerce.
2
Compare the role of trade taxation described in the text with the provided choices.
The option regarding the taxation and control of maritime commerce directly corresponds to the text's description of state-building.
It identifies the core governance strategy used by Srivijaya.

Key Concept

Maritime state building and governance in Southeast Asia
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

State Building and Governance in South and Southeast Asia

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