Please briefly describe the reasons why Wang Anshi’s reform failed.

The failure of Wang Anshi’s reform was caused by a combination of factors. The most fundamental reason was that the New Law Reform was just an institutional improvement within the landlord class in response to the ruling crisis in the Northern Song Dynasty. It did not touch on the fundamental problems of society and could not be solved. Fundamentally resolve the contradictions in feudal society.

1. The gap between the advanced nature of the reform and the backwardness of social reality is too large, and there is no soil for the reform to adapt.

2. The “money-making” nature of the new law leads to the loss of social foundation.

3. Reform is eager for quick success and quick success. Wang Anshi knew that reform "is done slowly, and it will be of great benefit; if it is done hastily, it will be very harmful." However, he was too hasty in the reform.

4. Ineffective policy implementation. The divergence between motivation and effect, and the deviation between provisions and execution, caused a series of reform measures to move from calming the people to disturbing the people.

5. The reform faction was divided.

6. Conservatives strongly oppose it.

Extended information:

1. Effectiveness of the reform:

The fundamental purpose of Wang Anshi’s reform was to change the situation of poverty and weakness in the Northern Song Dynasty and strengthen external defense. The ability to suppress internal pressure to consolidate and strengthen feudal rule. It took nearly fifteen years from the time the new law was implemented to the time when the new law was abolished by the conservative faction.

In the past fifteen years, although each new law has inevitably produced some major or minor drawbacks after its implementation, it has basically achieved some results. The effect is very significant.

Government revenue has increased significantly. Through the implementation of a series of new financial management laws, the state has added new fiscal revenue items such as "young crops money", "residue money for exemption from labor", "market interest money", etc. On the basis of developing production and equalizing taxation, the fiscal revenue has There was a significant increase, and the national treasury was abundant. During the reign of Emperor Shenzong of the Song Dynasty, the national treasury savings could provide the court with twenty years of fiscal expenditure. The rapid increase in fiscal revenue completely changed the "poverty" situation in the Northern Song Dynasty.

The new law restrained the merger power of powerful landlords to a certain extent. The Young Crops Law replaced the usury loans of the upper class households and restricted the exploitation of farmers by usury; It eliminated the hidden tax evasion of bureaucrats, gentry and landowners. The Market Exchange Law allowed part of the commercial profits monopolized by big businessmen to be returned to the state. It also cracked down on the manipulation of the market by big businessmen and the tax exploitation of farmers due to the implementation of the Monopoly Exemption Law. somewhat alleviated.

The vigorous construction of farmland water conservancy projects has played a huge role in the development of agricultural production, social and economic development, and the reduction of people's burdens, presenting a scene of prosperity unprecedented in a century.

2. Disadvantages of the reform:

There are also many disadvantages and deficiencies in the process of the reform, and there are phenomena where the new law harms the people. In terms of the guiding ideology of the reform, Wang Anshi focused on seeking to open up financial resources and obtain as much national fiscal revenue as possible.

Rujun Shufa uses state administrative power to force acquisitions and sales to accumulate national wealth, which violates objective economic laws. The reform leads to the country becoming rich and the people poor, which is in line with Wang Anshi’s original intention of reform. "Emphasis on aggrandizement, lenient to farmers, enough for the state, and no shortage of people's wealth" are completely different, and the implementation of the new law is too aggressive.

3. Introduction to Wang Anshi:

Wang Anshi (December 18, 1021 - May 21, 1086), courtesy name Jiefu, alias Banshan, Han nationality, Linchuan native, Northern Song Dynasty Famous thinker, politician, writer, reformer.

In the second year of Qingli (1042), Wang Anshi became a Jinshi. He has successively served as Yangzhou signing magistrate, Yinxian county magistrate, Shuzhou general magistrate, etc., with remarkable political achievements. In the second year of Xining (1069), he was appointed as the counselor of political affairs. The following year, he became the prime minister and presided over the reform.

Due to opposition from the conservative faction, Xi was dismissed as prime minister in the seventh year of Xining (1074). A year later, Emperor Shenzong of the Song Dynasty took up the post again, then dismissed him and retreated to Jiangning. In the first year of Yuanyou (1086), the conservatives gained power and all new laws were abolished. Yu Ran died of illness in Zhongshan and was given posthumously to the Taifu. In the first year of Shaosheng (1094), he received the posthumous title "Wen" and was called Wang Wengong in his later life.

Baidu Encyclopedia - Wang Anshi's Reform

Baidu Encyclopedia - Wang Anshi