The Jiaqing Emperor (r. 1796 – 1820) of the Qing Dynasty faced significant challenges during his reign, which ultimately exposed failures in policy and governance. These failures contributed to the weakening of the Qing Dynasty. Here are some key policy failures of the Jiaqing Emperor:

1. Failure to Control Corruption

• The Jiaqing Emperor inherited a government rife with corruption, particularly due to the influence of Heshen, a powerful and corrupt official during his father, the Qianlong Emperor’s reign.

• Despite removing and executing Heshen early in his reign, corruption remained entrenched within the bureaucracy.

• The emperor’s limited success in reforming the civil service weakened the central government’s ability to maintain order and effectively address the empire’s growing problems.

2. Weak Response to the White Lotus Rebellion (1796 – 1804)

• The White Lotus Rebellion was a major uprising driven by social grievances and anti-Qing sentiment.

• The Qing military’s response was slow, ineffective, and costly, partly due to poor leadership and logistical issues.

• The rebellion highlighted the declining strength of the Qing military and drained state resources.