expansion within the existing framework of productive relations, but the entire society fell into the “pitfall of high equilibrium.” Silver made the economic wheels turn faster, but failed to work out a new institutional paradigm of economic development. Qing Domestic Trade Within the borders of Qing territory, inter-regional and inter-provincial trade exploded in popularity, developing and expanding upon the market economy that developed in the Ming and Song periods. Trade between markets at the village, regional, and inter-provincial levels developed into a network that covered much of the Dynasty's territory and enriched many trade centers such as Suzhou. Trade between provinces in staple goods such as grain and cotton, each grown in specialized provinces and shipped around the state, moved goods within Qing borders at an unprecedented rate, a rate encouraged by the Qing dynasty's elimination of many restrictions on domestic trade, such as trading cartels. Although within traditional Confucian doctrine Merchants, because they did not create anything within society, did not hold high societal standing, merchants became incredibly rich off of this domestic trade. From petty merchants at the local village level to merchants moving between metropolitan centers of trade and production, many traders joined the Dynasty's inner trade. These merchants, often those who studied for the civil service exam but could not find a post or pass the exam, gained wealth and prosperity within their new profession. Often many of these merchants formed together to create trade guilds, conglomerations of businessmen within trading centers, particularly wealthy metropolitan trade centers. These guilds, despite their low traditional status, became powerful forces for change within their city centers, participating in philanthropic endeavors and contributing to city upkeep. In addition to their blossoming power within their metropolitan cores, these merchants also utilized their wealth to gain social status within the Qing hierarchy by purchasing license as scholars, thus elevating themselves within the Confucian hierarchical system. Although certain provinces and areas began to focus their production on highly in-demand staple crops such as cotton or foodstuff, others increased their production of cash crops, an act that spurred on development of local production warehouses for products such as silk textiles or porcelain pottery. Qing Economic Collapse Despite its incapacitating effects, existing bans on the opium trade in China were generally ignored until the 1833 Government of India Act eliminated the East India Company's monopoly on British trade with China. British officials noted the unrestrained