Genghis Khan’s Economic Thought and Legacy

The first date the Mongolian name was used in historical sources is the VII. century. Mongols were considered an insignificant tribe in this period. The use of the Mongolian name as a state and dynasty coincides with the period of Genghis Khan. Mongols had very close relations with the Turks during the periods when they emerged as a political power, and these two nations were influenced by each other in many ways during the Great Hun, Göktürks and Uyghurs periods. The period when the Mongols played their main role in the world history scene was during the Mongol Empire established by Temüjin. Temüjin gathered the Mongol tribes under a single state administration and received the title of Genghis Khan.

The spreading momentum at the time of Genghis Khan enabled the Mongols to establish one of the largest empires in history. So much so that this empire dominated about a quarter of the world. Most researchers tend to explain these expansionist activities of Genghis Khan and his legacy for the successors with barbarism and brute force. However, this explanation is inadequate not only in many respects but also in terms of understanding Genghis Khan’s economic activities and the administrative system he established. The most important reason for this is that the sources related to Genghis Khan period are mostly insufficient. In this study, existing sources will be examined from the perspective of economic history. In addition, the Laws of Genghis Khan (Yassa) will be analyzed in terms of economy. This study analyzes the economic activities of Genghis Khan and the economic structure of the Mongol Empire at that time.