For those readers who follow US sports, you'll know that that the New York Yankees have been winning of late.  For a Taoist Yankee fan like myself this is a pleasant thing.  For followers of the Boston Red Sox, however, it is something like purgatory.  But even they (via Drezner) have to admit that history seems to be on the side of the Bronx Bombers this year.

Of course, I tend to agree with the historical analyses that point to ultimate Yankee victory.  But I would like to add a somewhat different perspective on this, the ancient Chinese idea of the Mandate of Heaven.   `

The general idea here is that legitimate political rule is authorized by "Heaven."  The Chinese notion of heaven, Tian, is not a place where God or gods rule, nor a place where human souls are redeemed.  It is more a sense of destiny and fate.  It is more than humanity, it is open and high, and it has a tendency and movement that is beyond our comprehension.  And in that movement lies certain implications for human-kind. 

The Mandate of Heaven, Tian ming, is the something like the tendency of destiny; not in a divine predestined sense, but in a natural unfolding sense.  Some things will be and, thus, in being are meant to be.  If a flood or earthquake happens, it was meant to happen, and the consequences of such disasters are meant to signal that the actions of some people are out of keeping with the natural unfolding of things.  Heaven thus signals to humanity a diffuse sense of right or wrong.  We are supposed to try to understand these signals and interpret them as the Mandate of Heaven, the general sense of heavenly agreement with the activities of the human world.

What does this have to do with baseball? 

First, the fact that the Yankees have been winning should thus be interpreted that they were meant to win. There have been some difficulties along the way, but Heaven is signaling that Yankee victories are consistent with the natural unfolding of things. 

Second, the return of the Yankees to their rightful place as winners of the American League East division follows another precept of the Mandate of Heaven:

Tian would bless the authority of a just ruler, but would be displeased with
a despotic ruler and would withdraw its mandate. The Mandate of Heaven
would then transfer to those who would rule best.

Clearly, the brief reigns of Tampa Bay (2008) and Boston (2007) in the American League East both proved despotic and wrong.  Each quickly lost the Mandate in turn and it has now been restored to a just and honorable ruler.

Finally, consider this aspect of the Mandate of Heaven:

In its early form, this political theory asserted that Heaven,
was primarily interested in the welfare of human beings. For this
reason it has established governors and rulers who assume the
responsibility for the welfare of their people. It mandates that
certain people be in charge; while they rule justly, fairly, and
wisely, Heaven maintains that certain rulers or dynasties remain in
power.

Obviously, Yankee supremacy serves the welfare of the people. The people are happy!  Prosperity is returning.  The Heavens are serene.  All of this points to a long and fruitful reign.

There only remain the small matters of the Angels and the Phillies.  In time, the Mandate of Heaven will shine on New York.

Go Yankees!

UPDATE: That took a bit longer than I thought….but, of course, I cannot know the Way of Heaven, which is beyond human comprehension.