In the 16th century, the Chinese economy was still the most sophisticated and productive in the world, and the Chinese probably enjoyed a higher standard of living than any other people on earth. The Qing (Ch'ing) Dynasty (1644-1912), founded by a group of people called the Manchus from northern China, continued this splendor and all aspects of culture flourished. China was a prosperous state with abundant natural resources, and a huge but basically contented population.

Question

By the late 18th century, however, the strong Chinese state started to struggle, particularly because of its expanding population. Having remained at 100 million people through much of history, under the peaceful Qing (Ch'ing), the population doubled from 150 million in 1650 to 300 million by 1800, and reached 450 million by the late nineteenth century (the population of the United States in 2014 was 318.9 million). So, there emerged a food and land shortage in China.
To make the problems worse, the state's political control was diminishing. The size of the bureaucracy remained the same while the population grew. By the 19th century, the government’s ability to keep up important projects like the Grand Canal (which made it possible to move goods between the north and south), operating decreased. With the government stretched so thin, it it struggled to respond to crises like the famines that hit the country between 1876 and 1879.
2. What problems did China face starting in the 18th century?

Answer 1

Starting in the 18th century, China faced several significant problems:

1. Population Growth: The population of China increased dramatically, doubling from 150 million in 1650 to 300 million by 1800, and reaching 450 million by the late 19th century. This rapid population growth created significant challenges, particularly in terms of food and land resources.

2. Food and Land Shortage: The growing population led to shortages of food and arable land. The existing agricultural systems struggled to support the increasing number of people, leading to food insecurity and potential famine.

3. Diminished Political Control: The Chinese state's political control diminished over time. The size of the bureaucratic system did not expand in proportion to the population growth, leading to inefficiencies and challenges in governance.

4. Inability to Maintain Infrastructure: With a stretched-thin government, China's ability to manage and maintain vital infrastructure, such as the Grand Canal, deteriorated. This impacted trade and the movement of goods within the country.

5. Response to Crises: The weakened state struggled to respond effectively to social and environmental crises, such as the famines between 1876 and 1879, indicating inadequate crisis management and increasing instability.

Overall, these interconnected issues contributed to a decline in the strength and stability of the Qing Dynasty during the 18th and 19th centuries.