Wang Mang established a new dynasty, why did it perish so quickly?

After Wang Mang usurped the throne, a "new" dynasty was established. According to Wang Mang's previous assumption, after he proclaimed himself emperor, he must first rectify the system of the Western Han Dynasty in order to be fair to the peasants at the bottom. However, when Wang Mang had just implemented his rectification system and was ready to set out to build a "new" dynasty that would never die, peasant uprisings followed. In the end, the "new" dynasty perished. Ironically, Wang Mang was killed by the farmer he wanted to help. Wang Mang's "new" dynasty lasted only sixteen years before it was overthrown by the peasant uprising.

Then, why did Wang Mang's "new" dynasty die after only 16 years? What does this have to do with farmers?

Generally speaking, Wang Mang's restructuring (including his usurpation) caused some people's dissatisfaction. The dissatisfaction of these people largely led to the demise of the "new" dynasty.

First, the dissatisfaction of former Western Han officials.

Reason 1: Wang Mang usurped the throne. In the "new" court after Wang Mang usurped the throne, officials of the former Western Han Dynasty occupied a large part. Wang Mang's usurpation of the throne aroused their dissatisfaction, so he often persuaded the former governors of the Western Han Dynasty to launch an uprising and overthrow the "new" dynasty. Generally, Wang Mang will beat them up on the grounds of "treason" when he hears such a thing. The officials of the "new" dynasty looked down on them and made fun of their demotion. So when the peasant uprising army was in full swing, he took advantage of Wang Mang's cruise out of the city to launch a mutiny and occupy the whole city in one fell swoop. Forcing Wang Mang to go into exile in other cities and have no fixed place to live.

The second reason: the level differentiation is serious. When Wang Mang entertained ministers, there was an obvious phenomenon of hierarchical differentiation. For example, officials of the "new" dynasty can sit; Officials before the Western Han Dynasty were only allowed to sit down when Wang Mang asked you to sit down, or when you felt uncomfortable and had to sit down. In the Shang Dynasty, the later officials of the "new" dynasty could "cut in line" to the first officials of the former Western Han Dynasty and report the situation to Wang Mang first. This serious hierarchical phenomenon made the former Western Han officials very dissatisfied, but they were helpless. Therefore, when the rebels broke into the capital of the "new" dynasty, almost all former Western Han officials opened the gates to welcome the rebels. (Although not an insurgent army led by former Western Han officials)

Second, farmers are dissatisfied.

Reason 1: There are too many kinds of currencies, and commodities depreciate too quickly. During Wang Mang's reign, he carried out four coin rectification actions. These coins are generally not suitable for farmers, who are still willing to use the original Western Han Dynasty currency. However, merchants do use the coins prepared by Wang Mang to price, which leads to more and more expensive items. The peasants were disgusted and there was an uprising. (Not many times. Because farmers know that no matter what the uprising is, it will eventually be suppressed. It is better to accept this reality silently. After Wang Mang knew it, he decided to switch back to the original currency of the Western Han Dynasty to stabilize farmers. But at this time, prices rose very high and coins depreciated badly. No matter what remedial measures are taken, it will not help.

Reason 2: Hire businesses. In order to maintain the stability of the economic strength of the "new" dynasty, Wang Mang decided to follow the example of the merchants in the former Western Han Dynasty and manage the land distribution and management of farmers. But these businessmen often only recognize money and not people. Whoever pays more will get more land; If anyone doesn't pay the money, not only will he not get the land, but he will also deduct his land. This has led to the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. The richer people will continue to squeeze the poorer people. As a result, many farmers had no food, so they got together and went to the rich families to rob them. The social crisis of the "new" dynasty is getting bigger and bigger!

Third, businessmen are dissatisfied.

Reason 1: I can't make money. Businessmen come out to do business. As a result, due to the reorganization implemented by Wang Mang, prices became higher, and businessmen had to raise the prices of goods. In this way, fewer and fewer people buy goods, and businessmen can't make money. However, Wang Mang will also send people to check the income of each businessman regularly (for example, a businessman must reach the prescribed income within one month). Once a businessman's income is found to be less than the prescribed income, his money will be deducted. In this way, businessmen can not only make money, but also "pay" At that time, you must not be opportunistic. Finally, businessmen, like farmers, will become poorer and poorer. In order to survive, businessmen joined the rebels.

Reason 2: Merchants pay bribes. Businessmen are all rich people. They often bribe businessmen to give them some money and then help them attract business. This situation can still be implemented in the early days of the "new" dynasty; But by the end of the "new" dynasty, prices were getting higher and higher, and more and more people bought things, so businessmen lost money. Moreover, Wang Mang often sends people to check the accounts of these businessmen, once the previous bribery records with a businessman are found. The rich were punished and the businessmen were robbed. It's okay for a rich man to pay a few dollars, but once a businessman is robbed, it means that he really has no money at all. In the past, I was in urgent need of money, so I could mortgage my family heirloom and exchange some money for emergency. But not now. At the same time, it also shows that the hierarchical differentiation of the "new" dynasty not only appeared in the court, but also in life.

Fourth, the soldiers are dissatisfied.

Reason 1: perennial battle. Wang Mang often ordered troops to attack other tribes around the "new" dynasty, and the troops would go out soon after their return trip. So every time the soldiers come back, they will celebrate their survival with their families. At the same time, I hope I won't die in the next expedition. But war can't be fought without killing people. Every time I come back, many soldiers die and many young people join the army. In this way, the labor force in the "new" dynasty will be less and less, there will be more and more deserters in the army, the combat effectiveness will also decline, and the war will fail. After the defeat of the war, follwed ordered the war again. ................................................................................................................................................................

Reason two: soldiers are not rewarded, but they are punished a lot. Every time he comes back, Wang Mang will give many rewards to the generals, but not a penny to the soldiers in charge of the war. And some soldiers died, ignored it, and even did not give pensions. Isn't this equal to fighting for nothing with the lives of soldiers? And almost every time I come back. (Maybe follwed was in a good mood that day, so he came out to inspect the soldiers who went to war, and then he would give a little reward. ) On the way out, soldiers who don't behave well will be beaten by the general. Maybe it's just a little thing, and the general will "roar". For example, a soldier brought water to the general and accidentally spilled it on the ground. This not only makes the soldiers involved feel very guilty, but also reduces the combat effectiveness of the army. The soldiers were frightened at the thought of the general's "roar". When a soldier is afraid, he has no intention of fighting again.

Wang Mang aroused the dissatisfaction of four kinds of people: officials in the former Western Han Dynasty, farmers, businessmen and soldiers. However, among these four kinds of people, farmers are the most dissatisfied. Whether it is a variety of peasant insurgents, or a powerful "green forest" or "red eyebrow" army, they are all peasant insurgents. It was these peasant rebels who broke into the palace of the "new" dynasty, destroyed the "new" dynasty and finally killed Wang Mang.

What kind of hatred did the peasants have with Wang Mang that they killed the emperor who "hoped to improve the peasants' lives"?

This is mainly the malpractice in the new system of the "new" dynasty, which is very unfavorable to farmers and arouses their dissatisfaction.

Reason 1: random reward. The system of respecting officials in the Han Dynasty was generally a procuratorial system, but in the "new" dynasty, the procuratorial system became very chaotic. Fools and rich people can have official positions with a little more money, while poor people and farmers always can't be officials or just become sesame officials because they have no money, so they can't care too much. When rich people become officials, they don't care about the areas under their jurisdiction, but simply squeeze farmers and make money. And those poor people can only sigh silently, hoping that the day will end soon.

This has led to more and more corrupt officials in the "new" dynasty, and the anger of the bottom people is growing.

Reason 2: the poor have to take heavy corvee, but the rich don't. The court of the "new" dynasty believed that the rich could develop the economic power of the "new" dynasty, and the power they needed was the poor. The poor generally refer to farmers (businessmen have at least some money), so they have to take heavy corvee every year. If you are sick or for other reasons, you can only take 1-2 days off. If the stipulated number of days is exceeded, he will have to do more work. And if you take a break because you are too tired, the foreman will fight when he sees you.

Some people may ask: Do poor women still use corvee? This "new" dynasty has long "thought" that they let women knit clothes at home, which should be beautiful. After knitting, send it to these rich people. Rich people give a few rewards if they think it looks good. If you don't like it, sweep the floor and leave.

As for knitting clothes, rich people have clear rules. For example, how many pieces a person must knit in a day, otherwise, money will be deducted and criticized. Knitting clothes is also a tiring job, so many women of peasant children in the "new" dynasty have needles in their hands.

The poor work so hard that they may not get a penny in the end. This kind of thing is common in the society of the "new" dynasty!

Reason three: long-term campaign. Wang Mang often ordered the army to attack other tribes around the "new" dynasty and launch unjust wars. Fighting always kills people. How can we replenish the troops? At this time, the rich played a despicable trick on the peasants: they were tricked into joining the army, and they didn't have to take the corvee, pay taxes, and get extra rewards. Under the sweet words of the rich, farmers rushed to join the army.

But the opposite is true. Farmers should not only learn to survive in the war, but also bear heavy corvee and pay a lot of taxes as usual. Compared with the past, one more person will be in danger in the war, and the others will remain the same.

For farmers who have no experience in war, the casualty rate on the battlefield is very high.

The farmers were very angry: "Didn't you rich people agree that we would cancel the corvee before joining the army?" Now you bet our lives on winning or losing the war. However, as long as the current court is overthrown, these unequal provisions will be abolished. "So, a vigorous uprising plan was born from the minds of farmers.

Reason four: cruel punishment. After Wang Mang proclaimed himself emperor, he reformed the existing punishment. The reformed punishment is obviously beneficial to officials and businessmen, but not to farmers and soldiers. If officials and farmers make the same mistake, officials will write checks. (Actually, it's useless, just like a commodity. ) The peasants hit the big board, put them in prison for ten days and fined them ... Anyway, there are many punishments for the peasants, and everything is still cruel. (People in the "new" dynasty will certainly envy people in the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty), which led to many poor people's unjust deaths in the "new" dynasty, the corruption of officials became more and more serious, and the voice of farmers became louder and louder. (Because whenever these corrupt officials embezzle, they all say that farmers did it, which has nothing to do with themselves)

Through various reasons, we can see the serious hierarchical differentiation of the "new" dynasty: the rich are always respected and the poor are always bullied.

Finally, farmers can't stand this society any longer. So they joined forces to form an uprising army, overthrew the "new" dynasty and killed Wang Mang.