Imperial China:II Law and the extended family All relatives are senior or junior to each other,and within some degree of relationship Any offense by senior or junior,the penalty is scaled down By junior to senior,the penalty is scaled up Accusing a senior relative within two degrees of a crime is a criminal offense ·Even if he is guilty ·What is going on? They are ruling several hundred million people with a tiny bureaucracy Part of the trick is to subcontract the job to other authority structures Of which the extended family is the most important So the rules reinforce that authority structure The ability to report crimes by seniors would give juniors power over them ·So is blockedImperial China: II • Law and the extended family • All relatives are senior or junior to each other, and within some degree of relationship • Any offense by senior or junior, the penalty is scaled down • By junior to senior, the penalty is scaled up • Accusing a senior relative within two degrees of a crime is a criminal offense • Even if he is guilty • What is going on? • They are ruling several hundred million people with a tiny bureaucracy • Part of the trick is to subcontract the job to other authority structures • Of which the extended family is the most important • So the rules reinforce that authority structure • The ability to report crimes by seniors would give juniors power over them • So is blocked