HISTORY
CIVILIZATIONS OF ASIA
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Question
[CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
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They had high status because most of them were wealthy.
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They had high status because they could interact on an equal footing with foreign merchants.
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They had low status because their wealth came from the work of other people.
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They had low status because many merchants were women.
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Detailed explanation-1: -Though merchants were often wealthier than either the farmers or the artisans, they were considered beneath them because merchants rarely produced anything of their own; they merely profited off the other classes.
Detailed explanation-2: -Description. In ancient China, as the lowermost class in the social hierarchy, merchants were viewed as greedy and immoral, commanding little respect. But since the sixteenth century, when China entered modern times with the sprout of capitalism, merchants have become a strong force to transform the ancient society.
Detailed explanation-3: -The Shang (Merchants and traders) The members of the shang group focused on making money by selling objects to other people. The reason that the merchants were technically placed at the bottom of the social structure in ancient China, is that they did not make anything of their own.
Detailed explanation-4: -In Ancient pre-Imperial China, merchants were highly regarded as necessary for the circulation of essential goods. The legendary Emperor Shun, prior to receiving the throne from his predecessor, was said to be a merchant. Archaeological artifacts and oracle bones suggest a high status was accorded to merchant activity.