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Which of the following statements best describes the differences between Song Dynasty China and Western Europe during the Middle Ages?

The Silk Road primarily benefitted Europe by introducing new products and ideas.

Europe had a unified military serving a central authority, while China was fragmented and lacked political stability.

Both regions had strong centralized governments and high literacy rates.

Song China had a merit-based civil service and greater social mobility, while Europe was emerging from chaos with limited opportunities for advancement.

1 answer

The statement that best describes the differences between Song Dynasty China and Western Europe during the Middle Ages is:

"Song China had a merit-based civil service and greater social mobility, while Europe was emerging from chaos with limited opportunities for advancement."

During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), China developed a civil service examination system that allowed individuals to attain government positions based on merit rather than birth, leading to a relatively higher level of social mobility. In contrast, Western Europe during the early Middle Ages was characterized by feudalism, which often restricted social mobility and was marked by a lack of centralized authority in many regions.