India
Industry/Agriculture: Luxury Goods
cotton, dyes, spices, jewels, tea, fish, opium.
Religion: Conflict among three groups
Hinduism (many gods, household and village gods, many holy texts)
Islam (one god, one text, social obligations of worshippers)
Sikhism (one god, devotional worship).
Philosophy: based on dharma
fulfilling one's moral duty is fulfilling one's dharma in life; you must do
your best in the area of life you were born into (peasant, ruler, etc.); in
Hinduism, fulfilling ones dharma leads to rebirth at a higher social
level in the next life.
Mentality: based on small groups, especially family, village, and caste.
Historical thinking: cyclical
based on samsara, the wheel of life, into which all living things travel
for birth and rebirth, constant renewal.
Social structure: caste system
encourages staying in your profession and passing it down for
generations to fulfill dharma. .
Gender relations: division of labor
men in charge of public life, women in total command of domestic affairs;
women thought to be more sexual than men -- married young to prevent
promiscuity.
View of other cultures:
West sometimes seen as lacking humanity, simplicity, spirituality.
Desirable imports: technology, textiles, edible oils.