PRIHIS202016-V007800

Summary

This script explores the significance of agrarian expansion and trade in early societies, particularly China around 1300. It discusses how subsistence living evolved into the production of trade goods, such as spices and non-agrarian products, which were crucial for economic growth and societal interconnections. The development of hydraulic engineering and the Grand Canal in China exemplify how technological advancements facilitated agricultural expansion, population growth, and the creation of wealth, which in turn influenced political power and global trade patterns.

Takeaways

• 🏡 The script discusses the lifestyle and social order of village life, where the majority lived at a subsistence level with a small minority at the top of the social pyramid.
• 🌾 It highlights the importance of trade goods versus subsistence goods, emphasizing that trade goods were produced for consumption by others, not just for survival.
• 📈 The script introduces the concept of surpluses from the countryside being used to support urban populations and higher population densities.
• 🌍 Adam Smith's view on trade goods as the key to growing contacts between societies is mentioned, with the circulation of goods being essential to the world economy.
• 🧵 The production of non-agrarian goods by villages, such as cloth in Northern Europe, weapons in South Asia, and silks in China, is discussed as a significant development.
• 🌿 The script emphasizes the importance of plant products, particularly spices, in trade, due to their high value-to-bulk ratio and ease of transportation.
• 🚣‍♂️ The example of China around 1300 is used to illustrate the impact of hydraulic engineering on agriculture and the expansion of the rice frontier.
• 🌱 The Grand Canal in China is highlighted as a monumental hydraulic engineering project that connected the northern capital with the southern hinterlands, facilitating trade.
• 🌳 The script discusses the environmental impact of agricultural expansion, including deforestation and the destruction of mega-fauna habitats.
• 🌐 The script concludes by summarizing the importance of agrarian expansion in creating wealth, power, and interconnections that eventually lead to globalization.

Q & A

What is the subsistence level of living mentioned in the script?

The subsistence level of living refers to a lifestyle and standard of living that is very close to what is required to survive, where people's needs are met just enough to live without much surplus.

How did the production of trade goods contribute to the growth of contacts between societies according to Adam Smith?

Adam Smith saw the production of trade goods, which are goods produced for other people's consumption rather than for subsistence, as the key to growing contacts between societies. The circulation of these goods is what made the world economy function.

What is the significance of non-agrarian goods in the context of the script?

Non-agrarian goods, such as cloth in Northern Europe, weapons in South Asia, and silks in China, became significant because they were produced not just for local consumption but for trade, which helped in establishing economic connections beyond local regions.

Why were spices considered important trade goods in the script?

Spices were important trade goods because they were produced for other people's consumption, not for subsistence, and they had a high value-to-bulk ratio, making them easy to transport over long distances for trade.

What role did hydraulic engineering play in the development of the Chinese countryside as described in the script?

Hydraulic engineering, including the use of water for irrigation, damming, land reclamation, and sewage draining, played a crucial role in the development of the Chinese countryside by enabling the expansion of arable land, particularly for rice cultivation.

How did the Grand Canal in China impact the country's economy and society?

The Grand Canal connected the northern capital of Beijing with the southern hinterlands of China, combining the rice producers of the south with the soldiers and bureaucrats of the north. It facilitated the expansion of rice fields, increased trade, and contributed to a phenomenal population growth.

What was the impact of the agrarian expansion on the Chinese population as mentioned in the script?

The agrarian expansion, particularly the opening up of rice frontiers in the south, led to a more than 100% growth in the Chinese population from the eighth to the twelfth century, reaching about 100 million people.

How did the production of commodities for other people's consumption affect the relationship between farmers and elephants in China?

The production of commodities for other people's consumption led to deforestation and the destruction of mega-fauna habitats, such as elephants', resulting in a long-standing war between farmers and elephants in China.

What is the connection between the creation of wealth and the creation of power as discussed in the script?

The creation of wealth through the production of trade goods was important for changing the scales of political power. It created resources that states could harness, which in turn was important for the spread of empires.

How did trade contribute to the interconnection of the world according to the script?

Trade drew different parts of the world together by increasing contacts and interconnections between regions that were not previously in significant contact with each other.

What is the process that the script suggests will eventually lead to interdependence in globalization?

The script suggests that the interconnection brought about by trade will eventually yield to a process of interdependence, which is a key aspect of globalization.