China cannot continue to sustain itself through exports. It has to start building a local economy.
Just like it did at one time.
Chinese socialism, vs American Democracy and capitalism.
Ming Dynasty - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia@@AMEPARAM@@/wiki/File:Ming-Empire2.jpg" class="image" title="Location of Ming Dynasty"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/12/Ming-Empire2.jpg/250px-Ming-Empire2.jpg"@@AMEPARAM@@commons/thumb/1/12/Ming-Empire2.jpg/250px-Ming-Empire2.jpg
The Ming Dynasty, or anachronistically referred to as Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history",was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic Hans.
So much for socialism running out of food.....
Emperor Hongwu (r. 1368–1398) attempted to create a society of self-sufficient rural communities in a rigid, immobile system that would have no need to engage with the commercial life and trade of urban centers. His rebuilding of China's agricultural base and strengthening of communication routes through the militarized courier system had the unintended effect of creating a vast agricultural surplus that could be sold at burgeoning markets located along courier routes.
This allowed for them to start trading with Europe and switching from paper money(which was causing inflation) to currency backed by silver and gold.(And this let the devil into their country.) They tried everything(including protectionism) but failed to get them out.
Let me note that it was that inflation that led to the Hans rebelling against the Yuan dynasty and over throwing it. THEN it became prosperous.
Though due to bad weather and destruction of crops, greatly reduced their wealth(read little ice age).(Their economy had become dependent on foreign silver). And war from the Manchus from the north. And thus began their decline...
Here again it shows a self sustaining country.
Rural culture and commerce became influenced by urban trends. The upper echelons of society embodied in the scholarly gentry class were also affected by this new consumption-based culture.
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