A Study On The Employed Group In Southeast Chinese Market Towns During The Ming And Qing Dynasties

During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, with the development and prosperity of industry and commerce in market towns in Jiangnan, the employed group expanded day by day, which later became one of the relatively independent social groups. They were actively involved in the economic activity of market towns and played an important role in many aspects of market towns. By researching and analyzing the social structure, economic activities and living conditions of this group, this thesis takes peep at the development and features of market towns in Jiangnan during the Ming and Qing Dynasties.This thesis is mainly divided into four parts.Chapter one put an emphasis on analyzing basic classes and features of people employed in different fields. In the field of production, the employed group in Jiangnan market towns were mainly distributed in many handicraft industries such as cotton industry, silk industry, oil industry, wine-making industry, etc. The majority of this group lived on labor and certain skills, some of whom were specialized in several skills and distributed closely. In the field of commerce, the employed group mainly centered in shops along streets in market towns and they were of different classes. Generally speaking, common employees outnumbered employees who served as managers. In the field of service, people’s demand varied due to the economic prosperity of market towns. Therefore, industries which facilitated production and transportation and served individuals and society as a whole, witnessed great prosperity, because of which the number of employees as well as services they provided in these industry increased rapidly. In the field of commercial agricultural production areas, employees produced more and more agricultural products and put them on the market in order to gain profit. In essence, employees in this field and those in industry and commerce were of no difference.Chapter two analyzes the geographical and social structure of employed group in Jiangnan market towns. In terms of geographical origin, the employed group in market towns included local people and aliens. In terms of occupational structure, the employed group can be further divided into three classes.-labor class, skill class and management class. They were actively involved in handicraft industry, service industry and commerce. Their jobs tended to be stable and they formed certain hierarchical system.Chapter three summarizes and analyzes economic activities and living conditions of three classes of people according to the classification in chapter two. From the perspective of economic activities, activities which the employed group participated in were closely related to commercial activities and life service. People belonging to the labor class lack job security and they were prone to violence in economic activities. People belonging to the skill class worked at fixed place and they were characterized by specialization in jobs and stable occupational inheritance. People belonging to the management class were less in number compared to that of the former ones, but they performed much better at economic activities. In terms of living conditions, people belonging to the management class enjoyed better living standard than those who belonging to labor and skill classes. People belonging to the labor class suffered from low social status and poverty.Chapter four analyzes the effect of employed group in Jiangnan market towns. From the perspective of economy of market towns, the employed group made a great contribution to economic development of Jiangnan market towns. From the perspective of social activities, employed group played an important role in the adjustment of social relationship and population structure.Through analysis on employed group in Jiangnan market towns, we can see that economic development in Jiangnan market towns during the Ming and Qing Dynasties was vigorous and the radiating capacity of economy in market towns was increasing constantly. The complication of employed groups’ geographical origin and composition reflected the openness and inclusiveness of market towns. Social structure of market towns presented dynamics and diversity. The problem arisen in the process of market towns’ development should be corrected and more coordination and improvement are needed in future development.