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China's Economhy - China's Traditional Mixed Economy

4 important questions on China's Economhy - China's Traditional Mixed Economy

Why did the state issue brokers to witness all wholesale transactions in agricultural commodities, cotton, and silk at that time?

To ensure that prices were not fixed by large extended families that came to control such trade in their regions ánd to ensure that proper taxes were paid.

When the Mancu conquered China and founded the Qing dynasty, they introduced the baojia system. What did this entail?

All households were grouped under the supervision of a headperson. This person had to report the activities of the households to the authorities and organize them for activities (like building dikes). All members of a boa were held responsible if one member engaged in criminal activities.

The Europeans built modern infrastructure in China's treaty ports in the 19th century. This also led to more modern factories, but not to an industrial revolution. In fact it even had negative side effects. What kind of side effect does the author mention?

The modern factories produced cheap textiles which competed with textiles made in villages. Rural economy was disrupted.

The New Republic (founded in 1911) found it hard to take back control from regional warlords and foreign powers/Japanese invaders. How did Mao Zedong tackle this problem?

The Japanese invasion of China led to a strong feeling of nationalism, which provided Mao Zedong with an opportunity to recoup and expand. Mao promised land to the peasants and he carried out land reforms in areas occupied by his communist forces. This enabled Mao to enlist the support of the peasant masses to fight the Japanese invaders and subsequently the Kuomintang.

The urban areas were still occupied by the Kuomintang at that time. After the Japanese surrender the urban areas suffered from strikes, social unrest, hyperinflation and shortages of goods. The instability hastened the demise of the Kuomintang.