Compare The Political And Economic Effects Of Mongol Rule In China And Russia
Joanne Lau
4/15/15
APWH2
Huth
Comparison of the political and economical effects of Mongol rule in China and Russia The Mongols were a group of nomads which rose during the early 1200s1 with the help of
Genghis Khan. Through invasions, parts of Russia, China, and Middle Eastern civilizations fell under the control of the Mongols, but around the early 1400s the Mongol Empire fell. The
Mongol Empire affected its conquered areas politically and economically during its 200 years of great power. Two of which were China and Russia. In China, affected when the Mongols took over, created the Yuan Dynasty and demanded tribute amongst others. While in Russia, the
Mongols presented the Golden Horde and had princes who ruled different regions, purpose being …show more content…
to collect taxes and tribute. Although the economical influence on China was quite similar to
Russia, the Mongols influenced Russia much less which led to an economic boom, similarly the political influence on China was more significant in the short term, the Mongols influenced
China much less compared to Russia, which stayed under Mongol influence for many centuries.
The Mongols economically impacted Russia and China fairly similarly. China had many goods and raw materials which the Mongols had lacked in the steppes, and these goods brought wealth to the Mongols2 after they took down the existing empire and replaced it with their own
Yuan Dynasty. In addition to taking the goods and raw materials, the Mongols taxed the people and demanded tribute to increase economic wealth. Not surprisingly, the tax benefited the
Mongols who collected the taxes which led to a depletion in the Chinese economy.3 Russia lacked a surplus of goods, which leaded to the Mongols simply taxing the populace, but due to Thomas Anderson,
"The Mongol Empire in World History.”
World History Connected. Feb. 2008.
Robert Guisep i, “
The Mongols.”
History World. 1992.
3
"The Mongol Empire in World History.”
World History Connected.
1
2
the weather conditions, which the Mongols were not accommodated to, princes were appointed to fulfill the task of taxcollection.4 Unlike China, surprisingly Russia’s economic power skyrocketed from the amount of taxes collected, since the Mongols occasionally collected taxes from Moscow, where the collected taxes were stored.5 Although China and Russia received similar types of treatment from the Mongols where they were unable to control their own economy and were unwillingly taxed, both were forced to give tribute to the Mongols, affecting both civilizations in different ways. In Russia, the harsh taxes the people were forced to pay, led to an increase in serfs. Since the people were unable to keep up with the taxes, they became bound to under the feudal system on lands, working for lords.6 Positively, the taxes collected increased Russia’s wealth. In China, the taxed were directly given to the Mongols, resulting in a drop in the economy, but the tribute taken from each civilization was put to use differently. In
China, the Mongols reinvested in the money and built (and repaired) roads, canals, and cities, all with then led to an increase in economic growth.7 Although the Mongols had affected both civilizations, they had also come close to ruining each civilization’s economy.
In addition to the taxes and tributes, the Mongols increased their economic power through the trade routes. Goods and raw materials like spices, silk and gunpowder from China and furs from Russia allowed the Mongols to trade other civilizations for other goods. Through this form of trading, the Mongols managed to spread along the infamous plague to China and Russia, the
Black Death or the Bubonic Plague.8 Since the plague had started in China, the Mongols took the plague with them with the goods and raw materials and passed it along to the Middle Eastern
4
"The Mongol Empire in World History.”
World History Connected. Frank E. Smitha, “Genghis Khan and the Great Mongol Empire.”
Macrohistory and Timeline. 2015.
6
“Genghis Khan and the Great Mongol Empire.”
Macrohistory and Timeline.
7
"The Mongol Empire in World History.”
World History Connected.
8
“The Black Death.”
History World. 2013.
5
civilizations, which spread the plague to Europe, causing deaths of millions of people. The plague reached Russia when the Mongols’ mail system carried the plague to different parts of
Russia. Both China and Russia were bound to suffer whether or not the Mongols had taken over due to the existence of trade routes such as the Silk Road, but the Mongols had sped up the time it would have taken for the plague to reach Russia.
After invading each civilization, China and Russia were politically controlled under the
Mongols. When the Mongols first arrived in northern China, they pillaged and took most goods and raw materials, later going back to take over China and to control its government. The
Mongols established themselves as direct rulers and created centralized government and the
Yuan Dynasty.9 A Mongol, Kublai Khan was in charge of most of what went on in China.
Although roads, canals and cities were built and fixed to improve trade, the Mongols ruled with an iron fist. To eliminate scholars, the Mongol rulers did not use the Civil Service Exams.
Similarly, the invasion in Russia also began as a devastating incidence.
The Mongols saw Russia as an area with little to nothing to offer, and stayed away from the horrible weather conditions.
Unlike China, Russia was not under direct rule and the Mongols had Russian princes rule over specific areas, leading to a decline of the Kiev once Moscow started to rise.10 The Russian princes learned to centralize their power and extracted taxes and tributes from the populace.
Throughout the course of 200 years more or less, the Mongol Empire greatly affected parts of northern China and Russia, both economically and politically. Although more economically than politically, the economy of both civilizations of the time went through many highs and lows, from a ruined economy to an economic boom. Political rule did not affect either
9
"The Mongol Empire in World History.”
World History Connected.
"The Mongol Empire in World History.”
World History Connected.
10
civilization in a positive way in the long run due to the Mongols ruling with an iron fist. Even though the economical influence on China was seemingly similar to Russia, the political influence on China was more significant in the short
term.
Bibliography:
Timothy May, "The Mongol Empire in World History,"
World History Connected. February
2008 <http://worldhistoryconnected.press.illinois.edu/5.2/may.html> (12 Apr. 2015).
Robert Guisep i, “
The Mongols,”
History World. 1992
<
http://historyworld.org/mongol_empire.htm
> (12 Apr. 2015).
Frank E. Smitha, “Genghis Khan and the Great Mongol Empire,”
Macrohistory and Timeline. 2015.
< http://www.fsmitha.com/h3/h11mon.htm > (13 Apr. 2015).
“The Black Death,”
History World. 2013.
<
http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ab94
> (13 Apr.
2015).
4/15/15
APWH2
Huth
Comparison of the political and economical effects of Mongol rule in China and Russia The Mongols were a group of nomads which rose during the early 1200s1 with the help of
Genghis Khan. Through invasions, parts of Russia, China, and Middle Eastern civilizations fell under the control of the Mongols, but around the early 1400s the Mongol Empire fell. The
Mongol Empire affected its conquered areas politically and economically during its 200 years of great power. Two of which were China and Russia. In China, affected when the Mongols took over, created the Yuan Dynasty and demanded tribute amongst others. While in Russia, the
Mongols presented the Golden Horde and had princes who ruled different regions, purpose being …show more content…
to collect taxes and tribute. Although the economical influence on China was quite similar to
Russia, the Mongols influenced Russia much less which led to an economic boom, similarly the political influence on China was more significant in the short term, the Mongols influenced
China much less compared to Russia, which stayed under Mongol influence for many centuries.
The Mongols economically impacted Russia and China fairly similarly. China had many goods and raw materials which the Mongols had lacked in the steppes, and these goods brought wealth to the Mongols2 after they took down the existing empire and replaced it with their own
Yuan Dynasty. In addition to taking the goods and raw materials, the Mongols taxed the people and demanded tribute to increase economic wealth. Not surprisingly, the tax benefited the
Mongols who collected the taxes which led to a depletion in the Chinese economy.3 Russia lacked a surplus of goods, which leaded to the Mongols simply taxing the populace, but due to Thomas Anderson,
"The Mongol Empire in World History.”
World History Connected. Feb. 2008.
Robert Guisep i, “
The Mongols.”
History World. 1992.
3
"The Mongol Empire in World History.”
World History Connected.
1
2
the weather conditions, which the Mongols were not accommodated to, princes were appointed to fulfill the task of taxcollection.4 Unlike China, surprisingly Russia’s economic power skyrocketed from the amount of taxes collected, since the Mongols occasionally collected taxes from Moscow, where the collected taxes were stored.5 Although China and Russia received similar types of treatment from the Mongols where they were unable to control their own economy and were unwillingly taxed, both were forced to give tribute to the Mongols, affecting both civilizations in different ways. In Russia, the harsh taxes the people were forced to pay, led to an increase in serfs. Since the people were unable to keep up with the taxes, they became bound to under the feudal system on lands, working for lords.6 Positively, the taxes collected increased Russia’s wealth. In China, the taxed were directly given to the Mongols, resulting in a drop in the economy, but the tribute taken from each civilization was put to use differently. In
China, the Mongols reinvested in the money and built (and repaired) roads, canals, and cities, all with then led to an increase in economic growth.7 Although the Mongols had affected both civilizations, they had also come close to ruining each civilization’s economy.
In addition to the taxes and tributes, the Mongols increased their economic power through the trade routes. Goods and raw materials like spices, silk and gunpowder from China and furs from Russia allowed the Mongols to trade other civilizations for other goods. Through this form of trading, the Mongols managed to spread along the infamous plague to China and Russia, the
Black Death or the Bubonic Plague.8 Since the plague had started in China, the Mongols took the plague with them with the goods and raw materials and passed it along to the Middle Eastern
4
"The Mongol Empire in World History.”
World History Connected. Frank E. Smitha, “Genghis Khan and the Great Mongol Empire.”
Macrohistory and Timeline. 2015.
6
“Genghis Khan and the Great Mongol Empire.”
Macrohistory and Timeline.
7
"The Mongol Empire in World History.”
World History Connected.
8
“The Black Death.”
History World. 2013.
5
civilizations, which spread the plague to Europe, causing deaths of millions of people. The plague reached Russia when the Mongols’ mail system carried the plague to different parts of
Russia. Both China and Russia were bound to suffer whether or not the Mongols had taken over due to the existence of trade routes such as the Silk Road, but the Mongols had sped up the time it would have taken for the plague to reach Russia.
After invading each civilization, China and Russia were politically controlled under the
Mongols. When the Mongols first arrived in northern China, they pillaged and took most goods and raw materials, later going back to take over China and to control its government. The
Mongols established themselves as direct rulers and created centralized government and the
Yuan Dynasty.9 A Mongol, Kublai Khan was in charge of most of what went on in China.
Although roads, canals and cities were built and fixed to improve trade, the Mongols ruled with an iron fist. To eliminate scholars, the Mongol rulers did not use the Civil Service Exams.
Similarly, the invasion in Russia also began as a devastating incidence.
The Mongols saw Russia as an area with little to nothing to offer, and stayed away from the horrible weather conditions.
Unlike China, Russia was not under direct rule and the Mongols had Russian princes rule over specific areas, leading to a decline of the Kiev once Moscow started to rise.10 The Russian princes learned to centralize their power and extracted taxes and tributes from the populace.
Throughout the course of 200 years more or less, the Mongol Empire greatly affected parts of northern China and Russia, both economically and politically. Although more economically than politically, the economy of both civilizations of the time went through many highs and lows, from a ruined economy to an economic boom. Political rule did not affect either
9
"The Mongol Empire in World History.”
World History Connected.
"The Mongol Empire in World History.”
World History Connected.
10
civilization in a positive way in the long run due to the Mongols ruling with an iron fist. Even though the economical influence on China was seemingly similar to Russia, the political influence on China was more significant in the short
term.
Bibliography:
Timothy May, "The Mongol Empire in World History,"
World History Connected. February
2008 <http://worldhistoryconnected.press.illinois.edu/5.2/may.html> (12 Apr. 2015).
Robert Guisep i, “
The Mongols,”
History World. 1992
<
http://historyworld.org/mongol_empire.htm
> (12 Apr. 2015).
Frank E. Smitha, “Genghis Khan and the Great Mongol Empire,”
Macrohistory and Timeline. 2015.
< http://www.fsmitha.com/h3/h11mon.htm > (13 Apr. 2015).
“The Black Death,”
History World. 2013.
<
http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ab94
> (13 Apr.
2015).