Historians have long studied ancient Rome and China’s Han dynasty. Both empires were large and powerful. They controlled big parts of the world and lasted for hundreds of years. But a new study now shows that one of these empires had more wealth inequality than the other.
The research was published in Nature Communications. It was done by experts from Università Bocconi and Stanford University. The study focused on how wealth was spread among people in each empire. It looked at Rome around the year 165 and Han China around the year 2.
Ancient China’s Han empire had more wealth inequalities
The researchers used a new method to study wealth inequality. Instead of just looking at one city or region, they studied many different areas. This helped them get a better picture of how money and resources were shared across both empires.
The results showed that the Han dynasty had higher levels of inequality than the Roman Empire. In simpler terms, fewer people in Han China had more money and power, while many had much less. The Roman Empire also had wealth gaps, but they were not as extreme.
One reason for this difference is how the governments worked. In Han China, the emperor and his officials controlled most of the economy. They collected more taxes and goods from the people. Rome, on the other hand, had more trade and larger cities. These allowed more people to earn money, even if they didn’t own land.
The study also pointed out that Confucian teachings, which were popular in China and often spoke of fairness and balance, did not lead to a fairer society in real life. Instead, strong control by the state helped keep power in the hands of a few.
Unequal wealth may have led to collapse
The study also looked at what happened to these empires later. It found that too much inequality may have helped bring the Han dynasty to an end. When too much power and wealth are held by a few people, unrest can grow. This can lead to anger, rebellion, and finally, the fall of a government.
Rome also had problems with inequality and public anger. But it managed to survive longer, possibly because its wealth was more spread out. The researchers believe this made the Roman system more stable over time.
The study didn’t stop with Rome and China. It also looked at the Aztec Empire around 1492. The findings showed that the Aztecs took even more resources from their people than either Rome or Han China.
These insights help experts better understand how wealth and power were managed in ancient times—and how that shaped the rise and fall of great civilizations.