The Political Analysis Of The Prosperity And Decline Of The Shanxi Merchant

The Shanxi Merchants,who rise in the Ming dynasty and prosper in the Qing dynasty,rank the first place of "top ten business groups" in that period.They are famous for their wealth and talent,and write a brilliant chapter in the world business history.In ancient Chinese society,where political power is supreme,the development of commerce is always more or less influenced by various political factors and difficult to obtain independence because of the repression of particular system and culture.So government-dependent relationship is the mainstream of ancient China's government and business relations.Under the circumstance,merchants have to pay their wealth and political obedience to harvest policy support,social status,resources and other business elements which are necessary to their enterprise.The Shanxi Merchants is just the product of this government-dependent relationship.They are extremely close with the regime of Ming and Qing dynasty,support,provide,service to and even participate in the regime,thus serving as an important tool for the monarchy to consolidate power and maintain regime.Comparing to other merchants in ancient China,the Shanxi Merchants are particular.In other words,they depict a special historical image of "official merchants".Beginning with the government-dependent relationship in ancient China,this dissertation summarizes various types of commerce-restrained systems and political cultures which the past autocratic dynasties have pursuit of and traces their source,then elaborates the prosperity and decline of Shanxi Merchants in Ming and Qing dynasties concretely,deeply analyses the government and business relationship---how they achieve business prosperity,what means they sort to.And then combining with the historical position of Shanxi Merchants,this dissertation turns to the prerogative of ancient Chinese commerce and the political incentives of merchants.Finally,this dissertation puts forward some theoretical suggestions for future China's benign government and business relationship.This dissertation focuses on the following aspects:The first part is an introduction.First of all,it introduces the reason why the subject and relevant topics are raised,the theoretical and practical value of this subject.Then it summarizes the research status of the thesis and reviews the contribution and deficiency.Finally,the author puts forward the ideas and methods he operates,as well as the possible innovations and deficiencies.The second part is the first chapter of this dissertation,mainly elaborates the historical origins of the government-dependent relationship's formation.The relationship in ancient China has its unique evolution path,it is the product of political system and political culture of commerce-restrained in authoritarian dynasty.Under the high pressure of absolute monarchy and the distortions of "commerce is humble",the only way out for the merchants is to submit to political power and seek for the protection of authority.Thus government-dependent relationship is formed,and it is just the relationship that constitute the political basis of Shanxi Merchants'thrive.The third part includes three chapters.Through the systematic analysis of the historical process of Shanxi Merchants,this part teases out the specific means the merchants operates to integrate government with business and their inner relations with the monarchy in Ming and Qing dynasties.The second chapter mainly examines the development of Shanxi Merchants in the Ming dynasty.In the early Ming dynasty,the Merchants,who takes use of the policy of "salt ban" and the geographical advantages,quickly rise and become influential regional business group.At the same time,the government abolishes the decree which forbids merchants to engage in regime,the Shanxi Merchants positively start their political career and associate with relevant Shanxi officials,developing to a government-business giant.Besides,depending on their political influence,the Shanxi Merchants contribute to the "tea-horse interchange" between the Ming and Mongolian regime.After that,making use of "tea-horse interchange",the business of the Shanxi Merchants complete overall transformation---from long-distance trafficking to diversified foreign trade activities.The emergence of the new social trend after the middle Ming dynasty marks the loosening of the traditional suppression of business culture,merchants obtain a certain social status and also form their own Confucian culture,which in turn promotes the future development of the Shanxi Merchants.The third chapter mainly examines the development of Shanxi Merchants in the Qing dynasty.The government wages several large-scale military actions towards the Mongolian region and demands tremendous material security,which provide golden opportunity for the Shanxi Merchants.On the basis of "one-port" trade,the Shanxi Merchants enlarge their enterprise towards Mongolian,and then exploit tea market towards Russia through "Chuck Tu Treaty".The foreign trade activities of the Shanxi Merchants are also be authorized,the merchants monopolize of the market towards Russia and Mongolia using the identity of "royal merchants".In the late Qing dynasty,the merchants accumulate large financial resources and exploit the ticket industry,forming a mutual use of relationship with the Qing dynasty's financial system and expanding their commercial capital.At the same time,the Shanxi Merchants maintain close contact with the royal and the government,positively intervene in politics through various ways,seek for additional political power and shelter from the regime for their enterprise.The fourth chapter mainly discusses the decline of the Shanxi Merchants during social upheaval in the late Qing dynasty.The true reason for the decline root in their long-term dependence on imperial power and prerogative business model.After the Opium War,the invasion of western powers force the authoritarian rulers to intensify extortion on merchants.However,the merchants themselves have completely fallen into the quagmire of power economy and are inability to transform to the modern industry and commerce.Ultimately,under the oppression and the crash of China's agriculture society,the Shanxi Merchants and their business empire collapse inevitably.The fourth part includes the fifth chapter and the discussion.Combining with the historical position of Shanxi Merchants,this part analyses the underlying cause of the combination of government and business,summarizes the historical lessons of failure,and then attempts to discuss the establishment of contemporary China's benign government and business relationship.In ancient China,where imperial power is supreme and political power over community,power economy has always been the mainstream,thus leading to the prerogative of commerce.Specific performance for this phenomenon is the united oppression towards small traders from bureaucrats and great merchants,and also,the privileged class seize huge national wealth and exclusive market interests.On the other side,due to the dynasty's assimilation system and policy,the merchants can barely get rid of the political dependence,no matter in psychological or spiritual.They will eventually turn to the regime,transform their identification from pure merchants to prerogative merchants,losing the independent appearance in the history stage.At last,for the contemporary China's government and business relationships,this dissertation points out that it is necessary to establish effective power restraint mechanism,improve the legal system,build a public service government,and establish a modern corporate culture,then we can break the spell of government-dependent relationship and achieve the aim of "close and clean"government and business relationship.