The Song commercial revolution.

Publication: Calliope

Publication Date: 01-DEC-02

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COPYRIGHT 2002 Cobblestone Publishing, Co.

In two important respects, the Song commercial revolution began two centuries before the Song. From A.D. 756 to 763, the rebellion of General An Lushan came close to toppling the Tang dynasty. The once brilliant, but now weakened, dynasty survived, but found itself forced to adopt new economic policies. Rather than distribute land to peasants and then tax them as individuals, it now allowed private ownership of land and then taxed it. Tang officials also abandoned their attempts to control commerce through regulated marketplaces. Instead, they chose to allow markets to spring up wherever there was a demand for them.

While these adjustments fostered the development of agriculture and commerce, it was...

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