Social reformer, politician, and literary man, Wang An-Shih has often been called the Father of Chinese Socialism. For many years he enjoyed supreme power as Prime Minister of the Emperor Shen Tsung, during whose reign he introduced a system of state doles to agriculturalists and organised a universal militia for safeguarding the country. He lived long enough to see the whole of his legislation repealed by his successor and rival Ssü-ma Kuang, the historian.