April 25, HBO will show the first series of the new season of “Game of thrones”. In honor of this event “Tape.ru” has decided to analyse the economic basis of the world created by writer George Martin, and found many unexpected similarities with our reality, both in history and in modern times.
Westeros is a typical medieval feudal monarchy, close to real historical examples where more than States from most other fantasy worlds. Although the level of technological development roughly corresponds to the European XIV-XV centuries (and in some areas — for example, in medicine — and surpasses it), the vast territory of the Seven Kingdoms excludes the possibility of there centralized state due to poor transport infrastructure. Hence the only possible model of the state: the ruler has only a small staff of officials, the rest relying on vassals, who often openly at war with each other.
For example, the collection of taxes delegated to the lords. The only exceptions are direct possessions of the crown, i.e. the city of King’s landing and its adjacent region, as well as many scattered throughout the state enclaves. For example, one of them is mentioned when you try Jaime Lannister to resolve the conflict between the lords Bracken and Blackwood in the book “Dancing with dragons”. The rest of the works of the feudal ladder: local landowners collect tax money and send it to a higher level.
Petyr Baelish was master of coin (the head of the Ministry of Finance, to put it simply) when king Robert Baratheon. Financial Affairs of the country under Baelish upset
Frame: the TV series “Game of thrones”
Pennies, deer and dragons
The financial system is rather centralized. About paper money speech, of course, is not, therefore, Westeros does not know such thing as inflation. As for the sharp increase of prices for all product groups must simultaneously put out a large amount of gold and silver, and to take him nowhere. In Europe, this crisis, for example, came in the XVI century, after the discovery in America of rich deposits of precious metals, then the prices for eyelid jumped four times (in comparison with inflation during the twentieth century it’s just a funny indicator). One way or another “monetary policy” is in the hands of the Royal court, which has exclusive rights to mint.
In Westeros dominated by the same system as existed in many European countries in the XIII-XVI centuries, — trimetallic. Mint in the country minted gold dragons, silver stags and copper pennies (there are several other less widespread denominations). The circulation of foreign coins, the state specifically regulates, but their total amount in the money supply in Westeros is small. The division into three main payment unit shows high intensity and the prevalence of monetary exchange in the country. Copper coins used in everyday transactions, which in more backward the economy (as, for example, in the early middle Ages in Europe) would be done on the basis of barter.
Copper penny is not so small as you might think. It can be enjoyed in the beer tavern with a simple snack. Due to the fact that the consumer basket in our world and in the middle Ages — both real and fictional — much different, to compare the purchasing power of money is not always correct. However, given the above example, we can estimate the rate of a penny as 100-150 rubles, or one and a half to two dollars. 56 pennies — this one is silver deer. Deer are used under average consumer purchases or commercial transactions. For example, one deer will be enough for a chic dinner in the tavern, and still give a handful of change. In rubles it is about 5-7 thousand.
King Robert Baratheon did not skimp and exhausted the Treasury of Westeros
Frame: the TV series “Game of thrones”
Finally, the largest unit of money — gold dragon (about 200 reindeer). In low fantasy gold often pay the price for the foolish products or services, but in fact one gold is often annual wage of a skilled worker. George Martin strongly highlights the high value of gold coins: for example, 30 dragons enough to go abroad and for a long time in there wild life. Elderly horses can be bought for three or four dragons, and war horse for ten dragons. Translated into our reality dragon (again very roughly) — about a million rubles.
Winter is coming
The exact layout of the state budget in the works of Martin are given, but the order can be defined. So, Eddard stark in the first book and the first season of the series resents the profligacy of king Robert Baratheon, who as a Royal prize Fund of the tournament assigns the sum of 90 thousand dragons. According to him, this amount is exorbitant for the Kingdom. On the other hand, the total debt of the crown is estimated at six million dragons and how the weeks just seems to be disastrous. All this allows to assume that through the Treasury annually hundreds of thousands of dragons — perhaps up to a million.
More difficult to measure the approximate size of the GDP of Westeros. It will have to turn to real history. Say, it is known that a standard tax burden in the countries of the medieval world was low and rarely exceeded 15 percent (in modern States it is from 25 to 60 percent). There is no reason to believe that Westeros is fundamentally different in this respect from the European countries of that time — therefore, total volume of its economy accounted for up to 3-6 million dragons or a little more (budget in million gold dragons formed entirely from taxes — they accounted for 15 per cent of GDP). On our money it will be, on average estimates, about five trillion rubles, or approximately 6-7 percent of the GDP of Russia today.
Luxurious Royal tournaments with generous prizes have become one of the causes of the sharp growth of the budget deficit of the Seven Kingdoms
Frame: the TV series “Game of thrones”
Westeros is in General a rich country, but development is uneven. As elsewhere, there are regions-leaders and outsiders. Its imprint is applied and the climatic conditions in the North, for example, in the harsh winter, which lasts at least 2-3 of the calendar year, it is quite difficult to develop commodity economy. Most people in the realm of lords the Starks lives in subsistence agriculture and forced a portion of each harvest to be postponed in reserve Fund — just like in Russia puts the “extra” export revenues in periods of high oil prices. In the first book shows how personally Eddard stark gives instructions as to what share of harvest to the farmers and landowners of the North to put the bins.
On trade of the North with other regions of the country and foreign countries little is known. It can be assumed that sparsely populated territory for traditional exports such places things — timber, hemp, furs and other “gifts of the taiga”. At the time these goods were the main source of export revenues in Russia. However, until the opening of the Urals in the late XVIII century Russia was extremely poor in precious metals, which can not be said about veteroska the North.
In the realm of the lords of Manderly in the southern part of the Northern region are the country’s largest silver mines. No wonder the city of White Harbor is shown as a beautiful, clean and well maintained, contrasting with the General wildness and backwardness of the Northern territory. All of this was built exactly on the “silver” money.
We do not sow
Another poor territory in the Seven Kingdoms — the Iron Islands. Although the name itself suggests considerable reserves of ferrous metals in the bowels, and ore always in demand. However, the description of the life of the islanders shows that a strategic resource they are not quite efficient. Ban on marine robbery, has further exacerbated the economic situation.
Opportunities to Supplement the deficit of the trade balance due to the loot narrowed, and it is not surprising that the struggle for independence caused the inhabitants of the Islands such enthusiasm. Of course, even during the subordinate position nobody forbade islanders to pirate off the coast of foreign countries, but this is risky, given the archaic nature of their ships. And only the most desperate dogs like Euron Greyjoy ready to make such trips.
Lions and roses
At the other extreme of development in Westeros are the West and the Expanse of land, controlled by the families of Lannister and Tyrell, respectively. The West is famous for its beautiful nature and fertile land, but its main wealth consists in gold mines. Gold is money itself, hence the Lannisters can afford a bit more than any other family. The financial success of the family, “lions”, however, is not only natural resources but also in their ability to invest.
The Lannisters are the richest family in Westeros
Frame: the TV series “Game of thrones”
As for the Scope, the importance for the country it is even more important than the lands of the Lannisters, reflecting the arrangements of Pushkin reasoning of Adam Smith: “you do Not need gold to him, when a simple product is”. In the realm of the Tyrells, as they say, stick a stick and grow a tree, so that the very geography that makes the region the breadbasket of Westeros. During the war it feeds the Expanse of King’s landing, sending back the transports and ships of food. South Space is also the centre of wine-producing “Golden Bor”, with which can compete only wine from the mandrel. Definitely something to see with the Russian Kuban, though, if you go back to medieval Europe, rather, it is the South of France. Finally, the Space is Oldtown — the historical center of science and education of Westeros, affording products of the then high-tech.
A raw materials appendage, or a resource superpower?
For all that, left with the impression that Westeros compared to the rest of the world is quite backward in terms of economy the state, which, for example, in Free Cities is considered almost barbaric. Indeed, and here and there a George R. R. Martin indicates that the most finely crafted goods and luxury items are imported in the Seven Kingdoms from abroad.
For example, free city World to Westeros supplying glass, fabric and lace, as well as various technical curiosities, Tirosh specializes in paints. Can you identify the Westeros? Only a variety of raw materials, which in this vast country is more than enough. Analogies with modern Russia and the European States come of themselves. Export to Westeros so important that some of the coastal cities fight tooth and nail for the right to be trade gateway. For example, the imprisonment of the Mad King Arisa II (the father of Daenerys Targaryen), which finally drove him insane, was the result of the desire of the city of Twilight Vale to have the same trading privileges as the capital.
Collectors from Braavos
Despite advanced money system, it’s safe to say that the banking and credit business in västerås is in its infancy. So, the Queen Cersei in “a Feast for crows” (fourth book of the series) talks about what the Lannisters with immense financial resources, should create its own Bank, not to rely on foreign financiers.
The iron Bank of Braavos city does not condone defaults
Frame: the TV series “Game of thrones”
It’s hard to tell, did such an idea in the head of her ancestors or they considered it impracticable. Large loans in the world of “a Song of ice and fire” distribute again the representatives of the Free Cities. The most powerful player in the global financial market in this world — the Iron Bank of Braavos. This is a private organization, obviously supported by the sea power of this city. However, there is a temptation to compare the Iron Bank with the IMF — at least on principle, that he provides loans to sovereign States, and these loans must be repaid.
When the next sovereign defaults before some minor Bank, the latter is forced to record losses. The same rulers who refuse to pay bravarskoy financial institutions, from the political scene and go, usually not on their own initiative.
***
George Martin has repeatedly stressed that he tries not to use in their Saga allusions to the present, following the principle of his idol, Tolkien. And yet, in describing the economic realities of the fictional medieval world we will inevitably find analogies and Parallels with the current life. Perhaps because the nature of man and the nature of economic relations, described honestly and accurately, not only depends on the era, methods of war or the fabulous scenery. And the authenticity and realism to the world created by Martin can’t be denied.
