Nomadic economy is a special and mobile economic type, which depends on farming society. It can't be completely separated from planting, and it needs to be based on the considerable development of production exchange in the whole society and the production of certain surplus products. This requires considerable progress in planting technology and nomadic technology, which determines that nomadic economy can only be formed at a later time. The mixed economy of agriculture and animal husbandry, which is mainly based on planting, is the most important economic type for human beings to enter the civilized era. The rise of nomadic industry in northern China was carried out under the background of bronze culture. Horse is regarded as a symbol of grassland nomadism, and the domestication and spread of horse is the key to the rise of grassland nomadism in Europe and Asia. Mr. Qian Mu said: "Generally speaking, civilized culture refers to the life of human groups. Civilization is outside and belongs to the material aspect. Cultural prejudice is spiritual. Therefore, civilization can spread and accept outward, and culture must be produced by the spiritual accumulation within its group.
From the source, human culture can be divided into three types. 1. nomadic culture 2. Farming culture. Business culture. ..... nomadism, business from the internal shortage, internal shortage needs to seek outside, so it is mobile and enterprising. Farming can be self-sufficient, without asking for anything, continue in one place and give up repeatedly, so it is slow and steady. The origin of nomadism and the emergence and evolution of nomadic countries have played an important role in the development of human history. Nomadism and farming have long been opposed and interdependent in the development of human history. All historical phenomena, such as war, plunder, marriage and mutual market, seem to explain a theme: survival and wealth are the reasons for the rise of nomadic countries.
Engels clearly put forward the theory of "the first great social division of labor" in his book "The Origin of Family, Private Ownership and State": "The nomadic tribes are separated from the rest of the barbarians-this is the first great social division of labor". This is the key to solve the historical unsolved problem of nomadic origin. How to correctly understand this classic exposition of Engels has been debated for a long time in academic circles.
Some scholars believe that the first social division of labor is not the separation of nomadic tribes and agricultural tribes, but the transition from predatory economy-gathering, fishing and hunting to productive economy. Under different natural conditions, some tribes develop into agricultural economy, while others develop into nomadic economy. Engels is talking about the latter situation. The direct transition from predatory economy to agricultural production is also one of the forms of the first social division of labor, and several ancient civilizations in the world have developed along this road. Therefore, the first great social division of labor took place in the early Neolithic Age about 10,000 years ago. Scholars with different opinions point out that in the Yellow River Basin and the Yangtze River Basin, agriculture has always been the mainstay since the Neolithic Age, and no nomadic tribes have been separated from the "other barbarians", so there is no social division of labor between agriculture and nomadic industries. Some scholars believe that the first great social division of labor took place from the end of Neolithic Age to Bronze Age, and the formation of nomadic tribes marked the realization of the first great social division of labor. Archaeological findings also pointed out that in the whole Neolithic period in China, primitive animal husbandry and hoeing agriculture were combined. In the Bronze Age, irrigated agriculture was formed in areas suitable for agricultural development, while grazing areas developed into nomadic industries on the basis of hoeing agriculture, thus realizing the first social division of labor.
On the basis of the above research, the discussion on the origin of nomadism is further deepened. For example, some scholars believe that the emergence of herders is the symbol of the first great division of labor in society, and herders developed from people who both grow grain and domesticate livestock. Therefore, the earliest nomadic tribes did not appear, but nomadic peoples who mainly engaged in animal husbandry and combined agriculture and animal husbandry; Subsequently, because the development of the whole social economy created conditions for further expanding the division of labor, nomadic peoples specializing in animal husbandry and living on aquatic plants appeared.
But this is the guiding significance of Engels' theory of "the first great social division of labor". In the complicated historical track, animal husbandry was separated from animal husbandry, and people engaged in nomadic industry developed from tribes to nations and countries. From the origin of nomadism to the formation and evolution of nomadic countries, it has had a strong impact and influence on the development of China and even the world history.