清初至乾嘉年間物價及工資的變動

The price and wage movement from Early Ching Dynasty (清初) to Chien-lung (乾隆)、Cha Qin (嘉慶) Period

宋敘五(SUNG Shee-wu)

《新亞學報》 18卷 (1997/07) Pp. 49-98+497

並列摘要

This paper discusses the price and wage movement during the Kang Hsi (康熙) to Cha Qin (嘉慶) years of the Ching Dynasty (1662-1820). Results showed that within those years, prices went up 2 to 4 times. As for specific groups of products, prices of those of basic necessities, such as rice, increased the most (more than 4 times), while of luxury goods, increased the least (about 2 times). It meant that the pressure of inflation had the biggest pressure on the poor while the effects on the rich were little. Compared to price increases, wage did not change much during the same period. Poor people still got paid more or less the same while the cost of basic necessities increased 4-fold. Thus the plight of the poor could be seen. This was the main reason why the strength of the Ching Dynasty turned weak and society became unstable.