Steady Customs Duties in the "Daoguang Depression"

Abstract

Scholars have always considered the Jiaqing and Daoguang periods (1796-1850) of the Qing Dynasty as the most important turning point in Chinese economic history. According to the widely held “Daoguang Depression” theory, the amount of customs duties significantly declined at that time, initially due to a blockage of the food trade, and later due to a market slump. However, by aggregating the national customs revenue, it is possible to demonstrate that customs duties remained relatively level at roughly 500 million tale throughout the period. Based on an analysis of customs duties the Daoguang Depression did not exist.