I Want to Be Emperor.

Summary

The content discusses the decline of the military meritocracy established during the Qin dynasty and its transformation under the Han dynasty. Liu Qi recognizes that the foundation of the Han dynasty's power lies not in noble families but in the small landowner and self-cultivating farmer class. The Han emperors, through various means, dismantled the military meritocracy by granting titles and land to the common people, thus weakening the influence of military leaders. Liu De proposes an examination system to recruit literate individuals for administrative roles, aiming to support the emerging middle class and stabilize the regime. This system, however, may favor the nobility, highlighting the challenges of true meritocracy.

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