The Silver Trap That Destroyed Two Chinese Dynasties

Описание: In 1644, the Ming Dynasty—rulers of 30% of global GDP—collapsed. Two centuries later, the Qing Dynasty followed. The killer wasn't war. It was silver.

This is the untold story of how a global commodity became a national trap.
For nearly 500 years, China's economy ran on imported silver—from Spanish America, from Japan, from merchants who sailed halfway around the world. The system worked brilliantly, transforming China into history's first silver-based superpower. But when global silver flows shifted, both the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1912) dynasties paid the ultimate price.
What you'll discover in this documentary:

How the Ming switched from paper money to silver after catastrophic hyperinflation
Why silver was worth TWICE as much in China as in Europe
The exact mechanism that triggered the 1644 collapse
How Britain reversed 200 years of silver flow using opium
The modern parallels that still threaten economies today

This isn't about ancient history—it's about what happens when nations depend on resources they cannot control. From the Spanish treasure fleets to the Opium Wars, this documentary reveals how monetary dependence shapes the fate of empires.

📊 Topics covered: Ming Dynasty economics, Qing Dynasty decline, silver trade history, Chinese economic history, monetary systems, global trade networks, Spanish silver, Opium Wars, economic collapse, currency crisis
🎬 Perfect for fans of: ColdFusion, Economics Explained, The Financial Historian, PolyMatter, Kings and Generals

RESOURCES & SOURCES:

William Atwell - "International Bullion Flows and the Chinese Economy"
Richard Von Glahn - "Fountain of Fortune: Money and Monetary Policy in China"
Dennis Flynn & Arturo Giráldez - "Born with a Silver Spoon"
Lin Man-houng - "China Upside Down: Currency, Society, and Ideologies"

#MingDynasty #QingDynasty #ChineseHistory #EconomicHistory #MonetaryPolicy #SilverTrade #GlobalTrade #DocumentaryHistory #Economics #HistoryDocumentary