They're very Confucian, I think, and not particularly Samurai in my opinion.
Confucian ideals involve every person and thing doing its part, supporting the greater whole; not particularly communist, however, as there is a specific LACK of equality and instead a glorification of the benevolent tyrant.
The Tau are not particularly Samurai for various reasons. First and most obviously they abhore physical combat and classic/conservative weapons. Niether are they motivated by personal honor and glorification as much as the success of the culture generally. Finally, unlike Samurai there is no pretense of leadership by the warrior class: the fire caste are NOT in charge, and those who seek to be are outcast elements. The leadership of a separate, specialist caste is more reminiscent of the scholarly tyrants of Confucianism and the advancement test system of classic China than the warrior-code and leadership by honor of Bushido. |