Description
Book Synopsis: How climate change ushered in the collapse of one of history’s mighty empires
In 1644, after close to three centuries of relative stability and prosperity, the Ming dynasty collapsed. Many historians attribute its demise to the Manchu invasion of China, but the truth is far more profound. The Price of Collapse provides an entirely new approach to the economic and social history of China, exploring how global climate crisis spelled the end of Ming rule.
The mid-seventeenth century witnessed the deadliest phase of the Little Ice Age, when temperatures and rainfall plunged and world economies buckled. Timothy Brook draws on the history of grain prices to paint a gripping portrait of the final tumultuous years of a once-great dynasty. He explores how global trade networks that increasingly moved silver into China may have affected prices and describes the daily struggle to survive amid grain shortages and famine. By the early 1640s, as the subjects of the Ming found themselves caught in a deadly combination of cold and drought that defied all attempts to stave off disaster, the Ming price regime collapsed, and with it the Ming political regime.
A masterful work of scholarship, The Price of Collapse reconstructs the experience of ordinary people under the immense pressure of unaffordable prices as their country slid from prosperity to calamity and shows how the market mediated the relationship between an empire and the climate that turned against it.
Details
Are you ready to explore the profound secrets behind the fall of one of history's mightiest empires? Look no further than "The Price of Collapse: The Little Ice Age and the Fall of Ming China." Discover a whole new perspective on the economic and social history of China as acclaimed historian Timothy Brook unveils the hidden truth of the collapse. It's time to delve deep into the impact of climate change on the Ming dynasty.
The mid-seventeenth century witnessed the deadliest phase of the Little Ice Age, a period of extreme climate instability. In this compelling book, Brook utilizes the history of grain prices to paint a vivid picture of the immense challenges that shook China's foundations. Witness the struggle to survive in a world plagued by grain shortages, famine, coupled with bone-chilling temperatures and arid conditions.
But what truly sets "The Price of Collapse" apart is its groundbreaking exploration of how global trade networks played a significant role in exacerbating the crisis. Discover how the massive influx of silver into China influenced prices and shattered the once stable socio-economic fabric. Be captivated by the daily lives of the Ming dynasty's subjects as they fought against unaffordable prices, witnessing their country shift from prosperity to calamity.
This extraordinary work of scholarship isn't just another history book; it's a time machine that transports you to the heart of the Ming dynasty. Experience the struggles, fears, and hopes of ordinary people as they grapple with a climate that turned against their empire. Through the captivating pages of "The Price of Collapse," you'll gain a profound understanding of the intricate relationship between an empire and the merciless climate that ultimately led to its downfall.
Don't miss this opportunity to uncover the hidden chapters of history. Immerse yourself in the enthralling world of "The Price of Collapse." Click here to embark on this extraordinary journey and witness the dramatic fall of the Ming dynasty.
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