Mongolian Economies
A brief overview of the traditional economic systems of Mongolian people and the Mongol Empire.
Traditional Economies of Mongolian Nomads
The economy of Mongolia begins with the subsistence lifestyle of nomadic herders. Long before Genghis Khan unified the steppes, Mongolian families moved between winter and summer pastures. They raised five major types of livestock, also known as the ‘five snouts:’ sheep, cattle, camels, goats, and horses. Of these, sheep, horses, and camels were most prized. Women and children stayed close to the ger, raising sheep and performing all of the duties needed to keep a family running. Men ventured further abroad to hunt, go to war, and look after wandering horses, cattle, and camels. Whatever a family could not make themselves they traded for with neighboring tribes and outside cultures.
Economics of the Mongol Empire
Wealth in ancient Mongolia flowed along the Silk Road, a series of major trade routes stretching from China to the Mediterranean. These roads, while lucrative, could be dangerous for travelers. Merchants tended to hold low social status in the kingdoms they passed through. When Genghis Khan assumed power, he moved to protect merchant caravans with military force. This ensured a steady flow of supplies and income to his empire, which needed to expand beyond subsistence herding. His grandson, Kublai, further marked and protected the roads that carried commerce through his lands.
Their combined efforts, along with the sheer size of the Mongol Empire, led to a burst in renewed trade between East and West. Known as the Pax Mongolica, the 13th and 14th centuries saw economic advancements at many levels of the empire. While the pastoral Mongolians shunned sedentary farming, commoners in China and elsewhere were encouraged to sow. Silk, gold, salt, ivory, and other luxury goods flowed in bulk. European traders like the family of Marco Polo launched new ventures to China and the Middle East. The Mongol trade system fostered the spread of goods, ideas, and diseases at a time of global change. The Bubonic plague alone, carried along these trade routes, would have profound effects on world history.
Modern Mongolian Economics
In the modern era, Mongolia’s economy is divided between traditional lifestyles and industrial commerce. Its rural areas are still home to hundreds of thousands of nomads, who live, work, and farm much like their ancestors. Cities like Ulaanbaatar are fueled instead by the nation’s large mineral deposits, forestry, and service industries.
Economic instability has been a persistent problem in the wake of independence. The Soviet era, when Mongolia’s government worked closely with the USSR, brought new industries but also a near economic collapse in the 1990s. Caught between China and Russia, much of Mongolia’s economic health is tied to those two nations. The move to a market-based economy has also put a strain on its rural populations. Many nomadic families have found it increasingly difficult to maintain their lifestyle, particularly as young people move to cities in search of opportunity. Today, its major export industry is mining.
References
Curtin, Jeremiah. The Mongols: A History. Little, Brown, and Company. 1907.
Jackson, Peter. The Mongols and the West: 1221-1410. Routledge. 2014.
Lane, George. Daily Life in the Mongol Empire. Greenwood Press. 2006.
Rossabi, Morris. Modern Mongolia: From Khans to Commissars to Capitalists. University of California Press. 2005.
“The World Factbook: Mongolia.” Central Intelligence Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, 1 May 2018, www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mg.html.
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