Wang Mang was a Han Dynasty official who seized the throne from the Liu family and founded the Xin Dynasty, ruling AD 9–23. He was a visionary and selfless social reformer. Although he portrayed his government as a revival of the idealized state of early Chou times, his reforms were aimed essentially at strengthening the bureaucracy and solving the current financial crisis.
Background
Wang Mang, the son of Wang Man, was born into a Han aristocratic family. One of his aunts was the chief consort of the Han Emperor Yuan and the mother of Emperor Cheng. Wang Man died early, while Wang Mang was young, before Emperor Cheng took the throne and his mother Empress Wang became empress dowager.
Wang Mang was well-connected to the imperial family.
Career
In 8 BC Wang was appointed regent for Emperor Cheng, but Emperor Cheng died in 7 or 6 BC and was succeeded by Emperor Ai, who was not related to the Empress Dowager. Wang Mang thereupon resigned.
Wang Mang became the most popular politician in the Han empire. His popularity was enhanced by his donation of large amounts of money (which would normally have gone to official salaries and imperial rewards) as relief for the poor and his setting up of schools in every district. For these actions, Wang Mang was praised as a saintly figure of the calibre of the Duke of Zhou.
In 1 BC Emperor Ai died and Empress Dowager Wang immediately had Wang Mang appointed regent for the new Emperor Ping. Wang consolidated his power by having his own daughter made the Emperor Ping's empress.
When Emperor Ping died in AD 6, Wang claimed for himself the title of acting emperor. He declared a ‘New (Xin) Dynasty’ in ad 9.
As regent, Wang had gained a reputation as a competent administrator and his accession was at first seen in a good light.To refill the imperial coffers, Wang Mang instituted government monopolies, debased the currency, and introduced agricultural reforms.
His decision to nationalize gold and keep issuing new currencies caused hardship and discontent among merchants. Wang Mang also imposed harsh legal penalties on anyone opposing his reforms, inevitably stirring up popular resentment. Another major reason for the deterioration of Wang's reign was that in the diplomatic arena he was prone to extreme arrogance and faux pas when dealing with allies and tributary states.
Wang Mang died at the hands of rebels when his capital, Chang'an (Xi'an), was sacked; his centralized bureaucracy was destroyed at the same time.
Politics
Wang Mang initiated extensive reforms according to his reading of the ancient Zhou political system. In addition to a reorganization of the government bureaucracy and the introduction of a new calendar, he proclaimed public ownership of all land and slaves, forbidding their private sale and purchase. He introduced strict government regulation and control of commerce and other economic activities, and made repeated monetary changes.