I keep coming back to that train of thought on geographical determinism that I first encountered in (I think) guns-germs-and-steel, that talked about how it was much easier to form a mega-state in the (relatively) flat, contiguous, and irrigable valley where China is, than in, say, the territory where Europe lies, where all would-be states and empires are broken up into little territories by virtue of the more mountainous terrain.11. Supported also by arguments in art-not-gov If, as Kohr claims, collectivist attitudes are a result of social size, it'd certainly explain some of the stereotypes of the East-West cultural divide we hold today—as well as the ongoing collectivisation processes we see worldwide.

The argument for scale => collectivism

Examination as the ceremony of objectification)

Confucianism & Gender in mass society (TK)