A closer look
Generational wealth absolutely ruined the fiercest warriors in Asia. The Qing dynasty's Eight Banners system started as a terrifyingly effective Manchu cavalry machine. However, by the 18th century, these soldiers and their families were confined to elite, segregated garrison districts in Beijing. Forbidden from engaging in trade or manual labor, they survived entirely on state stipends. Bored, idle, and overly privileged, these former conquerors descended into gambling, opium addiction, and debt, turning a fearsome military into a massive welfare state.
