In addition, a good government that allows for an open society is a vital factor in helping a civilization reach its Golden Age. By being open and flexible to new ideas, the society can then make progress. By enabling ideas from abroad to enter the society and to put them to use, cultural and intellectual exchange can take place between civilizations, benefiting both, as well as giving them new ideas such that these ideas can be used to develop the arts and science. Hence, they will flourish and bring the civilization higher and nearer to its peak. A good example would be the Tang Dynasty, where the Tang emperor encouraged the development of Buddhism, and commissioned monk Xuan Zong on a mission to India and Sri Lanka to study Buddhist scriptures. While they encourage Buddhism, they did not punish others from practicing other faiths, like Taoism or Confucianism. These religions thrived and benefited the civilization, and had made many achievements in scholarship, literature, technology and art. Hence, the society will be introduced to different ways of thinking and thus, allowing the civilization to enter its Golden Age.
A strong and effective government is another essential pre-requisite for a civilization to reach its peak, as a strong and effective government can help maintain law and order by implementing policies to the benefit of the society. This brings about higher productivity in society by organizing and running the country effectively, which encourages and promotes culture, as it recognizes the potential of the culture being a unifying force of society. When law order is established, the government has more time and resources to focus on other aspects of growth and development such as in the promotion of arts and culture. This would effectively mean that given official or royal patronage of the arts, artists would be able to develop their craft and even explore different art forms and genres. People exposed to more modes of thinking and expression which may very well lead to other innovations. This would drive the art and culture of the civilization forward, allowing for the civilization to reach its golden age. A case in point would be the Tang dynasty, where many poems where written, with famous poets from then such as Libai and others. Thus, this introduces the society to different ways of expressing themselves and in so doing, propelling them into the Golden Age.
Another important pre-requisite for a civilization to reach its climax is having strong military. Having strong military helps to keep enemies away from the civilization and neutralizes threats to the society. This will allow the kingdom to be powerful and strong, such that no one is troubled by external threats to the civilization. This in turn, will give the civilization more peace and time to concentrate on developing itself in many different ways. Hence, it can go on an extensive conquest to conquer the lands and gain power using their strong military forces. A case study would be the Tang Dynasty, where emperor Taizhong re-conquered land that was broken away as well as conquered land in the north and the west, while his military power grew stronger and stronger, giving the citizens nothing to worry about. By doing this, the society can continue to grow in military strength and reach its Golden Age.
In conclusion, there are many factors that contribute to the reaching of a civilization’s Golden Age, having a good and uncorrupted government will allow it to make good and well-though out decisions, and ensure the strength of its military. Also, by having a strong government, that means the it can be humble and be open to new ideas to the civilization and allow the citizens to be introduced to new forms of art, etc. thus, this will make sure of the civilization's economic prosperity. With a good government, its leader can then be well educated and skilled in leading, making sure that the civilization continues to thrive. Hence, a strong and effective government is the most important pre-requisite for a civilization to reach its Golden Age.
