Liam Bright

Reading about spread of Confucianism in early modern Japan, amused by translators’ habit of discussing idea that ruler has Mandate of Heaven but literally not mentioning the further fact that if one lacks benevolence and humane rule then one loses mandate and may be replaced.

how often did that losing of the mandate actually happen? the Ender's Game series mentions this a lot (to Orson Scott Card's credit, the losing part is definitely in there)

I know of 2 regime changes which Confucian scholars valorised as regime's cruelty leading mandate being passed to more humane rulers. More often what would happen is ru would remonstrate with a wayward government, and either change their behaviour or be killed for their defiance.

that's not nothing! how recent/distant are the examples you have in mind, historically?

Aye I think remonstration is (a) the best and most inspiring part of Ruist tradition, and (b) in both its successes and noble failures far more common than regime change - the point is surely that in a well ordered state something so dramatic should not be necessary.

it would be nice if you could change things by means other than murder! weird thing about US politics is that the commitment to political change via death goes for pretty much the entire political spectrum