How did the different levels of society have more or less money in the Shang Dynasty?

Shang Dynasty is often considered the earliest recorded ancient Chinese dynasty, of which enough archeological evidence remains that its existence is not questioned. The dynasty is also sometimes called the Ying-dynasty or Shang-Ying and is thought to have lasted from c.1600 to c. 1100 BCE. It was founded by Tang 'the Great' and King Zhou was its last monarch. It flourished around the Yellow River valley and grew in size as time progressed.


Society was divided into four main classes during the Shang dynasty. At the top of the social hierarchy was the King, followed closely by the aristocracy/nobility, which often included members of the landed military elite. Then came the traders, merchants, and craftsmen: the "middle class", who worked primarily with bronze. At the very bottom of the social ladder were the peasants, who worked on the land and cared for the animals. Some historians posit that the dynasty may have had a peasant class comprised of slaves or serfs.


These class structures were usually hereditary and rigidly enforced. Where you were born determined the money you would earn and the type of life you—and your progeny—would lead.


The Shangs believed in divine-right monarchy. The ruler did not govern under the will of the people as in a democratic order. Rather, it was thought that the gods blessed the ruler and his ancestors with the right to be at the head of the government. Because of this, kingship—and the wealth associated with it—was passed down in ruling clans from one son or brother or nephew to the rest. This was the basis of the kings' wealth. They lived in elaborate places with many servants and were given grand burials where attempts were made to bury a lot of their wealth and animals with them. Their money came from the taxation of the people as well as the plunder of neighboring localities.


Next in line was the aristocracy. The aristocrats lived around the central province of Anyang, which was the center of government. The close proximity to the king allowed these nobles to win his favors. In exchange for services and warriors supplied to the king, they were given "fiefs" or tracts of land where they could live and grow crops (via unpaid or under-paid slave labor) that could translate into money. In addition, the king often blessed his favorite clans with capital and resources.


After this was the "middle class." Their source of income was usually trade or crafts. Many guilds would train young men in the art of using bronze to create useful items. These could them be sold for profit. Sons could also be educated to become 'scholars' who would earn their keep by teaching or receive a stipend from the government.


At the bottom were the peasants. There was very little room for improvement in their conditions. They lived in poverty and were often tied to the land as serfs. They were paid little for their work (if they were paid at all) and were miserable. They could not own land and did not have the means to pursue and education.


In the way, the rigid divine-right monarchy enforced social class via rules about clans and land-ownership.
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-worldhistory/chapter/the-shang-dynasty/