A major problem plaguing Wang Mang's administration, in addition to the internal wars waged by the Xin dynasty, is his strong commitment in determining the ancient governmental structure, believing that once things were restored to Zhou Dynasty standards, the government would be efficient.

He and his officials have thus spent inordinate amounts of time carrying out research of ancient legends, leaving important affairs of the state undecided.

For years, a large number of counties have lacked magistrates.

The local officials, without supervision, have become highly corrupt and oppressive of the populace.

Because of the way Wang had come to power, he has become suspicious of allowing his subordinates to accrue too much power.

Wang therefore makes all important decisions by himself and does not delegate, leaving him highly fatigued and many decisions unmade.

Further, he has entrusted eunuchs to screen the reports from local governments for him, but those eunuchs decide to relay or not relay those reports based on their own personal likes and dislikes, and many important petitions go unanswered.

An even more serious problem is that the officials lack salaries.

The Han dynasty had a well-defined system of official salaries, but when Wang became emperor, he had ordered that the salary system be overhauled and recalibrated; however because the creation of a new system has taken years, the officials have in the meantime gone without salaries.

In response, they have become corrupt in demanding bribes from the people, causing the people great distress.