The Sui Empire was not able to maintain their authority in China because they could not support the massive undertakings in military expansion and public works that was required. This overextension led to the transition to the Tang Empire. The changes in this period of Chinese history was the reunification of China, and the massive public works projects that they undertook including the Grand Canal, irrigation projects and improvements to the Great Wall. The continuity that took place during this era was a return to the Confucian state philosophy and the strong political influence of the Buddhist philosophy. In 618 the powerful Li family ended Sui rule and created the Tang Empire.
The policy to collectivize farming resulted in a 40% drop in agricultural production and therefore a decline in the standard of living. The first of the positive economic reforms began taking place in the late 1970s with the rise of Deng Xiaoping. With his new position as leader of the communist party, Deng started dismantling many of his predecessor’s collectivist “reforms” and moving the Chinese economy from a planned economy to a market economy. He started moving on
What if foreign armies had decided not to involve themselves in the Taiping Rebellion? The Taiping Rebellion was a huge rebel group organized mainly by Hong Xiuquan that was initiated to rebel against the Qing dynasty Chinese government. This rebellion was the largest peasant revolt in Chinese history (BGE). It began in the province of Guangxi and was led by millenarian Christian leader Hong Xiuquan (Taiping Rebellion). After several victories and captures of cities by the Taipings the Chinese government eventually got tired of it and sent out for help from the west.
The British government retaliated with much force, resulting in Chinese defeat, which then forth became the Treaty of Nanking. The Treaty of Nanking is labeled as one of the “Unequal Treaties” for many reasons. When Britain implemented the Treaty of Nanking, much of the life that China knew would soon be no more, the island of Hong Kong was forced over to British ownership and control, rights were taken away, tariffs implemented, and the destruction of Opium by Lin caused a six million dollar “refund” to England. Since China was a closed nation, with an old-fashioned way of life and military technology, this caused a great disadvantage for them, trying to fight against what British was doing to their country. China had no say or control to what Britain was doing to them, and no way of fighting back or retaliating.
Enormous construction projects took place, such as the resurrection of the Great Canal and the famous Great Wall. The Ming was also responsible for establishing the Forbidden City in Beijing. The Qing’s success did not last eventually after many reforms due to land distribution, examinations, and social inequality; the Qing began to lose hold on their once strong control. Events such as the Opium war and the Boxer rebellion damaged the Qing dynasties social order and military force. The systems became corrupt which lead to political and social disintegrations.
They perceived threats to security; this led to war and then increased the length of border. The difference between their expansions was that Imperial Rome built its army from citizen-farmers, due to the conquest Rome had many slaves. Han Chine had a military at their disposal to enlarge the empire. Han China had conquered many lands but unlike Imperial Rome, Han China did not have slaves as a result of their growing territory. In order to work in the office of Imperial Rome he had to serve 10 years as a solider; while, Han China picked the upper class through the family.
But the empire were very inconsiderate and silly as people were paying the taxes by growing and harvesting crops which they would sell to the markets in order to pay for the taxes. The markets then started to bring in less money as there were fewer products being sold to the markets. They then had to raise the taxes leaving more people in poverty, which also caused many deaths. This is just one reason for the collapse for the Empire. The second reason for the collapse of the army was Religion, Christianity that had a massive influence on a lot of the population of
Because of this, roman citizens were charging higher prices for items so they would be receiving the same amount of silver. Inflation was not the empire’s only concern with the economy. The defense of the empire was very expensive and Rome also needed to maintain an active military, as a result Rome raised taxes that the average roman citizen could not afford. Even with the raised taxes it could not provide enough money to maintain the empire. The ultimate outcome of
Whereas prior most plebeians were farmers or laborers who owned small but significant portions of property or earned adequate payment for their toils, upon the second Punic War, Hannibal destroyed this land, leaving plebeians homeless with little source of income. However, the cities inside Rome lent opportunity for both, and accordingly led to an inundation of migrations towards the cities. Farmland left behind was soon purchased by the wealthy, incensing the poor further, in addition to the increase in slavery and thus decrease in job opportunity. This condition, with a flood of enraged plebeians entering Rome, set the stage for further tumult. Civil war broke out in 133 BCE, as Tiberius Gracchus was elected tribune.
Expenses grew, such as the cost of defense, so the government raised taxes. In addition, they minted more coins made of less metal each. This caused the economy to suffer from inflation. Secondly, politics declined which added to the downfall of Rome. The key problem in politics was the lack of loyalty.