Great civilisations: Built on trade, but wary of traders

Economic Times - Oct 9, 2026

China ranked people in four groups: scholar, farmer, artisan, merchant. Shi, nong, gong, shang. The idea is old, found in the Guanzi. The scholar governs. Farmer grows food. Artisan makes things. The merchant makes nothing. He buys low, sells high and keeps the difference. So, he goes to the bottom. The first Han emperor, Gaozu, took this seriously. Sima Qian tells us he banned merchants from wearing silk and from riding in carriages. He taxed them hard. Made them look poor, even if they were rich. Then the state ran short of money.

Read full article
More News
Copyright © 2015 - 2026 The Financial Capital.

All Rights Reserved.

Subscribe Now!

About Us

The Financial Capital is your independent source for finance information and advice. We provide insights and offer advice from financial experts so you can make the best decisions.