In Confucian social ideology there are four ranks of people. At the top are the leaders of the society who governed. Second on the list were the peasant farmers because they produced the food that everyone needed. Third were the artisans who created other items that people used. At the bottom were the merchants who did not create anything but made profits from the labors of others.

(The Great Courses – From Yao to Mao: 5000 years of Chinese History)