The correct answer is B. Farmers were highly respected for production of basic goods; merchants were little respected because they did not produce goods.
1. Peasants and farmers: The peasants and farmers worked in the fields and had to endure difficult conditions. They worked under the heat of summer and the winter cold. The severe conditions could also ruin their crops and their land. If crops were ruined, poor families had very little to survive during the winter. Some peasant and farmer women also worked in the fields, but the main tasks of women were limited to the home. By weaving and sewing fabrics, women could provide clothing for the family and sell any surplus to earn more money. The peasants and farmers were the second only after the scholars of the upper bourgeoisie in ancient China, where agriculture played a key role in the emergence of the civilization for a long time. They not only produced food to sustain society but paid the land tax, which was a source of state revenue for the ruling dynasties. Farmers and peasants were, therefore, valuable members of Chinese society.
2. Merchants, money lenders and breeders: The animal breeders, money lenders, and merchants were considered the lowest social class in old China, because most of their citizens believed that they did not contribute to the growth and development of the Chinese society. Despite their low economic and social status, some breeders, lenders and merchants became notably rich and lived luxurious lives. During the Han Dynasty, some members of this social class became so rich that they were considered a threat to the emperor and the nobles. To limit their wealth, certain restrictions such as high taxes and being sent to join the army were imposed. The richest breeders, lenders and merchants got their wealth by investing their resources on land. However, most of them were not so rich.
Answer:
The correct answer is B. Farmers were highly respected for production of basic goods; merchants were little respected because they did not produce goods.
1. Peasants and farmers: The peasants and farmers worked in the fields and had to endure difficult conditions. They worked under the heat of summer and the winter cold. The severe conditions could also ruin their crops and their land. If crops were ruined, poor families had very little to survive during the winter. Some peasant and farmer women also worked in the fields, but the main tasks of women were limited to the home. By weaving and sewing fabrics, women could provide clothing for the family and sell any surplus to earn more money. The peasants and farmers were the second only after the scholars of the upper bourgeoisie in ancient China, where agriculture played a key role in the emergence of the civilization for a long time. They not only produced food to sustain society but paid the land tax, which was a source of state revenue for the ruling dynasties. Farmers and peasants were, therefore, valuable members of Chinese society.
2. Merchants, money lenders and breeders: The animal breeders, money lenders, and merchants were considered the lowest social class in old China, because most of their citizens believed that they did not contribute to the growth and development of the Chinese society. Despite their low economic and social status, some breeders, lenders and merchants became notably rich and lived luxurious lives. During the Han Dynasty, some members of this social class became so rich that they were considered a threat to the emperor and the nobles. To limit their wealth, certain restrictions such as high taxes and being sent to join the army were imposed. The richest breeders, lenders and merchants got their wealth by investing their resources on land. However, most of them were not so rich.
Explanation:
