Ibn Khaldun (Premysloides Dynasty)

Ibn Khaldun
Abú Zayd Abd ar-Rahman Ibn Khaldun, shortly known as Ibn Khaldun, was among best known, capable and important imperial official of 14th century. He is considere as most greatest economic reformer in history and father of modern (or proto-modern) Roman economy.

Ibn Khaldun was born May 27, 1332, in Constantinople. His father was Yusuf ar-Rahman Ibn Khaldun, long term deputy mayor of Constantinople (1317-1336). In this position, Ibn Khaldun received best education in Roman Empire. At age of 15 (1347), he was signed to Imperial Gymnasium of Antioch. His life during Dark Age is unknown. In his diary, he had only one note: "December 1348 - Summer 1358: Lived in Jerusalem". No other information is known about his life in this period, but we can expect he completed his education and was very successfull, as he was in 1359 appointed mayor of Jerusalem, which he was until 1364. During his tenure as mayor of Jerusalem, he decreased support for charity and social services by 60-70% and overally decreased expenditures by third and decreased local taxation. He was very unpopular because of that and in 1364 lost elections. However, he had his portion on improving roads and safety near Jerusalem and in city itself. Crime rate under his rule decreased by third.

In 1365, he was granted position of teacher at Constantinople Dome of Wisdom in Faculty of Humanities. He teached about trade, merchant law and about social and economical relations in society and population. In 1367, Ibn Khaldun joined Optimates and their very conservative faction "Optimates Primates". He supported local "Law on Effective Slavery" that deregulated slavery laws and allowed opening more slave markets, he criticized high military budget and social support.

In 1370 Ibn Khaldun published his opus magnum "Book of Lessons". Book of Lessons was historiography of nations and societies that were in contact with islamic civilization, with focus on Romans and Persians. Ibn Khaldun initiated "Historiographical revolution", when he crushed old form of historiography - tales, experiences and stories - in favour of scientific research of history with effective categories and system of historical and social evolution. Ibn Khaldun historiographical model was universally accepted by Roman intelligence and academicians. For his book, Ibn Khaldun was awarded with citizen awards from Emperor Arcadius personally.

Ibn Khaldun wrote treatises about dichotomy of nomadic and settled societies and from 1370, he was advisor of Magistrate of Services, where he helped Magistrate of Services with integration of nomads and overcoming their old way of lifes in favour of modern imperial society. These efforts were mostly unsuccessfull, but provided vital and precious experiences. After three years of surveys and communications with nomads, Ibn Khaldun published his recommendation to not start integration, as it will only lead to rebellions and unrests.

"Money, Work, Value and Their Impacts" (1374)

In 1374, Ibn Khaldun published his second crucial work, book "Money, Work, Value and Their Impacts". Sociological and economical treatise of about 320 pages deeply studying effects of monetary value, value of goods and value of work on individuals, families, society and state. Ibn Khaldun greatly praised economic policy of Emperor Romanos, especially Romanos strict monetary policy preventing inflation, Romanos successfull struggle against tax evasions through decreasing taxes and Romanos support for foreign trade. However, Ibn Khaldun was very critical toward Imperial Trade Company and state connections with private sector.

Based on imperial archives and historians, Ibn Khaldun studied Roman Empire history and pointed right and wrong economic policies during course of history. "Bread and Games" policy, Ibn Khaldun commented: "As service provided by individual to individual, by merchants to clients, why not? As policy provided by state toward citizen, it was henious crime against Empire."

Another point of criticism was legislative and large amount of laws, regulations and government orders. He recalled his function as mayor of Jerusalem and written: "During my tenure, half of all local laws were discarded as obsolete, or stupid. While many of my policies were overturn by my successors, no one restored old laws, no one restored old regulations," and with this, First Consul of Imperial Senate Iustinian Chadenos in 1378 wanted appoint Ibn Khaldun to new office of "Chief Inspector of Legislative". Ibn Khaldun replied: "Do not establishe any new office! Pay me as private citizen and I will purify Empire from absurdities," and he was rather hired as private individual, then new official and bureaucrat.

In book and in his work as advisor of Imperial Government, Ibn Khaldun written about taxes and warned that "high taxation destroyed Roman Empire". When he was countered that there were much more problems and factors, then taxes, in collapse of old Empire, Ibn Khaldun claimed that every each problem was direct or indirect result of high taxation. "Low taxation will not solve problems, but high taxation will make problems," was Ibn Khaldun very simple creed.

In other chapters, Ibn Khaldun analyzed relations of demand and supply in market economy, supply-side economics, impacts of artisanry, trade and agriculture production on society, their balance and inbalance.

Contrary to many constitutionalist Optimates, Ibn Khaldun was admirer of concept of God-Emperor and was very loyal supporter of imperial autocracy. However, he was not blind and warned about threat of "Romanos complex" (but he did not named it) and warned about threat of weak, mindless, cruel and decadent Emperors. "Strong court must be builded by strong Emperor and strong court must build strong Emperor. Romanos builded strong, capable and healthy court that prepared Andronikos to rule. Andronikos ruled and ensured victorious naval supremacy and expansion for Empire. Regency Council was composed of brilliant minds and these minds six years prepared our God-Emperor Arcadius to his ascension. Now, we have strong and good Emperor, who expanded our realm in to Rus," Ibn Khaldun explained that "Empire provide safety, order, stability depending only on Emperor or Court. Republic do not provide safety, order and stability, because of massive bureaucracy, powerful Senate full of infighting factions and corruption."

However, this great book nearly cost Ibn Khaldun life. Book foreword was written by Ibn Muflih, influental sunni islamic thinker, who was disguised as shia muslim, but secretly financed and supported Arab tribes against Roman Empire. Muflih written foreword in 1373 and in 1377 ignited massive anti-imperial Arab rebellion of 40,000 tribal warriors on Arabian Peninsula, in western Persia and in Samarra.

Critics and enemies of Ibn Khaldun pointed on cooperation and joint intellectual and ideological works of Ibn Muflih and Ibn Khaldun was arrested by security forces, investigated and put on trial. District Court of Constantinople sentenced Ibn Khaldun for death, but Ibn Khaldun appeal to Provincial Court of Constantinople. Provincial Court revoke first sentence and sentenced Ibn Khaldun to 6 years in prison for "cooperation with enemies of Empire" and 50,000 Hyperpyrons as fine (2,500,000$).

Ibn Khaldun again appealed and did something shocking. He fall on knees and from Provincial Court House of Constantinople near Theodosian Walls, he crawl on his knees through whole city and in front of Imperial Palace of Constantinople and in sight of thousands citizen, he begged Empire and Emperor for forgiveness, that he was not able to recognize traitorous Ibn Muflih. Emperor Arcadius left Palace, stood in front of kneeling man, put him on foots and kissed on forehead. "He is loyal and good servant of Empire, because he is saying what we do not want to hear!" claimed Emperor and dismiss of accusations against Ibn Khaldun. To firm his loyalty, Ibn Khaldun sent 15,000 Hyperpyrons as gift for Imperial Army fighting against rebels and also sent three of his sons as support troops and his two daughters as nurses for wounded soldiers.

Military service

In 1375, Ibn Khaldun experienced brief imperial military service, when he was appointed as special advisor to Stratégos Marius Palaiologos for leading Imperial Campaign of Caucasus as he was able to explain social situation within Kingdom of Georgia and improve Imperial Army chances to conquer Georgia.

Economic reformer

In 1378, Ibn Khaldun reached peak of his career, when he was appointed to position of Prefect of Economy and Magistrates of Finance. Second position was in fact administred by his most talented and capable students Alexios Chadenos and Abu Yahya al-Sakkak. Most of his real work focused on Prefect of Economy.

As economic reformer, Ibn Khaldun prepared plans of decreasing state-owned portion of economy, tax reform (Tax Reform of 1400), decreasing influence of Imperial Trade Company by special tax (only tax he ever supported), agrarian reforms (Laws on Manual Workforce in Agriculture, 1386 and Laws on Landlord Legal Position, 1392) that eliminated remnants of feudalism, state control over agriculture, aristocratic influence in agriculture and led to new land reform.

Special Law on Imperial Property of 1393 declared that only in original territories and territories achieved through Conference of 1293, Imperial Government and Empire can own and control resources, farms, mining and other trade. In other provinces, Empire can own only military objects, lands bought by Imperial Army or Imperial Fleet and strategical properties. This law led to massive soldout of state property on Sicily and in Baltic Province, prevention of forming any state owned property in Rus, Persia and Caucasus. Imperial Government received from this soldout about 16 million Hyperpyrons (800,000,000$) and another 2 millions Hyperpyrons expenditures decreased.

It is difficult to exactly say, how deep was "purification" of Imperial legislative by Ibn Khaldun, but we have prove that he abolished, or reduced about 874 laws, regulations and restrictions in various spheres.
 * 398 in finances and trade (usury and interest reform, deregulation of banking, markets and artisanry)
 * 109 in agriculture (land reforms, loosening ownership conditions, price deregulation)
 * 98 in ownership rights (abolished regulations and restrictions on private ownership)
 * 73 in naval trade and shipbuilding (deregulation of private shipyards and owning private overseas trade colonies)
 * 52 mining and resource regulations (deregulation of private ownership of mining, resource refining and industrial production, loosening conditions to maintain mines and industry).
 * 50 city regulations (improving rights and position of cities and their mayors)
 * 41 village regulations (improving rights and position of villages and their elders and mayors)
 * 30 provincial right regulations (deregulation and improving position of Imperial Governors and their provinces)
 * 23 individual citizens regulations (improving and increasing freedom of movement, trade and work of citizens).

In 1400, Imperial Government and Imperial Senate accepted Tax Reform of 1400, but Ibn Khaldun was aware that he must be scapegoat for this. He was such devoted to Empire, that he left both positions. He returned to his "homeland", Jerusalem, and was appointed to position of financial advisor and magistrate of finances of Mayor of Jerusalem. He continued in academical activities as teacher and professor until 1405 and was active in politics and administrative until 1408. He died in 1410 in Jerusalem at age of 78.