Genghis Khan's Surprisingly Progressive Policies

When you think of Genghis Khan, progressive social policies probably aren't the first thing that comes to mind. Mass conquest? Sure. The largest contiguous land empire in history? Absolutely. But tax exemptions for the poor and religious freedom? That's the part history classes usually skip.

The Great Khan's Tax Code

Genghis Khan implemented a taxation system that was remarkably lenient for its time. Teachers, doctors, priests, and monks of all religions were completely exempt from taxes. The poor received similar exemptions—a policy that would seem progressive even by modern standards.

This wasn't just generosity. It was strategic genius. By protecting religious figures and intellectuals, Khan ensured that the educated class had every reason to support Mongol rule rather than resist it.

Religious Tolerance as Imperial Policy

The Mongol Empire under Genghis Khan was arguably the most religiously diverse empire in medieval history. Within its borders flourished:

• Buddhism
• Islam
• Christianity (including Nestorian Christians)
• Shamanism
• Taoism
• Various local faiths

Khan himself likely practiced traditional Mongol shamanism, but he attended ceremonies of multiple religions and employed advisors from various faiths. His policy was simple: worship whatever god you want, just pay your taxes and follow the law.

The Literacy Campaign

Before Genghis Khan, the Mongols had no written language. He changed that by adopting the Uyghur script and mandating that it be used for official records. He ordered that Mongol children—including his own sons—be taught to read and write.

This wasn't mere cultural development. A literate administration could maintain records, communicate across vast distances, and govern an empire that would eventually stretch from Korea to Hungary.

The Yasa: Law for Everyone

Genghis Khan established the Yasa, a legal code that applied equally to all subjects regardless of their status. A noble who committed a crime faced the same punishment as a commoner. This concept of equality before the law was revolutionary in the 13th century, when most societies operated on rigid class hierarchies.

The Yasa also protected merchants and established the empire's famous postal system, making trade routes safer than they'd been in centuries.

Why It Worked

These policies served a practical purpose beyond mere benevolence. Conquered peoples who found Mongol rule less oppressive than their previous governments were far less likely to rebel. Religious leaders who were tax-exempt became advocates for Mongol authority. Merchants who could travel safely spread word of the empire's stability.

The result was an empire that expanded not just through military conquest but through a kind of medieval soft power. Some cities surrendered without a fight, their leaders calculating that Mongol rule might actually be an improvement.

Of course, this tolerance had limits. Those who resisted faced the full brutality the Mongols were famous for. But for those who submitted, life under the Great Khan could be surprisingly... tolerable.