Economic Thought in Modern China

Economic Thought in Modern China PDF Author: Margherita Zanasi
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1108604188
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 255

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Book Description
In this major new study, Margherita Zanasi argues that basic notions of a free market economy emerged in China a century and half earlier than in Europe. In response to the commercial revolutions of the late 1500s, Chinese intellectuals and officials called for the end of state intervention in the market, recognizing its power to self-regulate. They also noted the elasticity of domestic demand and production, arguing in favour of ending long-standing rules against luxury consumption, an idea that emerged in Europe in the late seventeenth and early nineteenth centuries. Zanasi challenges Eurocentric theories of economic modernization as well as the assumption that European Enlightenment thought was unique in its ability to produce innovative economic ideas. She instead establishes a direct connection between observations of local economic conditions and the formulation of new theories, revealing the unexpected flexibility of the Confucian tradition and its accommodation of seemingly unorthodox ideas.

Economic Thought in Modern China

Economic Thought in Modern China PDF Author: Margherita Zanasi
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1108604188
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 255

Get Book

Book Description
In this major new study, Margherita Zanasi argues that basic notions of a free market economy emerged in China a century and half earlier than in Europe. In response to the commercial revolutions of the late 1500s, Chinese intellectuals and officials called for the end of state intervention in the market, recognizing its power to self-regulate. They also noted the elasticity of domestic demand and production, arguing in favour of ending long-standing rules against luxury consumption, an idea that emerged in Europe in the late seventeenth and early nineteenth centuries. Zanasi challenges Eurocentric theories of economic modernization as well as the assumption that European Enlightenment thought was unique in its ability to produce innovative economic ideas. She instead establishes a direct connection between observations of local economic conditions and the formulation of new theories, revealing the unexpected flexibility of the Confucian tradition and its accommodation of seemingly unorthodox ideas.

The History of Ancient Chinese Economic Thought

The History of Ancient Chinese Economic Thought PDF Author: Cheng Lin
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 131781178X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 340

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Book Description
This volume comprises twelve papers written by Chinese scholars on various aspects of the history of ancient Chinese economic thought. The contributions are preceded by an introduction which gives an overview of the development of the subject of history of economic thought in China, and which also provides an historical context to the individuals who constitute the major "schools" of ancient Chinese economic thought. The authors of the papers are leading scholars who have dominated this research area since the founding of New China in 1949, while the broad range of topics covered by the contributions includes questions of methodology, detailed and sometimes controversial interpretations of texts and "schools", and the international influence and modern relevance of ancient Chinese thought. A recurrent theme is that ancient Chinese thought has at least as much to offer to the historian as ancient Western thought. As the first such volume of papers to be translated into English, this collection provides a unique opportunity for non-Chinese readers to sample the way in which Chinese historians of economics have attempted to understand their own intellectual heritage. This book will be relevant to scholars interested in the history of economic thought, economic history and Chinese studies.

Economic Thought in Modern China

Economic Thought in Modern China PDF Author: Margherita Zanasi
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781108752787
Category : Economics
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
""This book argues that basic notions of free market economy emerged in China a century and half earlier than in Europe in response to the commercial revolution initiated in the late 1500s. At this time Chinese intellectuals and officials called for the end of state intervention in the market, recognizing its power to self-regulate. They also recognized the elasticity of both domestic demand and production and argued in favor of ending long-standing rules against luxury consumption, an idea that emerged in Europe in the early-nineteenth century. This book thus challenges Eurocentric theories of economic modernization and the idea of the unique ability of Enlightenment thought to produce innovative economic ideas. It instead establishes a direct connection between intellectuals' observations of local economic conditions and the formulation of new theories. Refuting common assumption, this book also reveals the flexibility of the Confucian tradition and its ability to accommodate seemingly unorthodox ideas. At the turn of the nineteenth century, Chinese intellectuals and officials began to move away from free-market policies and call for increased state intervention. This reversal was not a "failure to modernize," but a response to an economic crisis that afflicted China through the twentieth century engendering support for a developmental state.""--

European and Chinese Histories of Economic Thought

European and Chinese Histories of Economic Thought PDF Author: Iwo Amelung
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1000478998
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 328

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Book Description
The Western literature on the history of Chinese economic thought is sparse, and comparisons with the history of Western economic thought even more so. This pioneering book brings together Western and Chinese scholars to reflect on the historical evolution of economic thought in Europe and China. The international panel of contributors cover key topics such as currency, usury, land tenure, the granary system, welfare, and government, and special attention is given to monetary institutions and policies. The problem of "good government" emerges as the unifying thread of a complex analysis that includes both theoretical issues and applied economics. Chinese lines of evolution include the problem of the agency of the State, its ideological justification, the financing of public expenditure, the role played by the public administration, and the provision of credit. The early radical condemnation of usury in the Near East and in the West gives way to theoretical justifications of interest-taking in early capitalist Europe; they, in turn, lead to advances in mathematics and business administration and represent one of the origins of modern economic theory. Other uniting themes include the relationship between metallic and paper money in Chinese and European experiences and the cross-fertilization of economic practices and ideas in the course of their pluri-millennial interactions. Differences emerge; the approach to the organization of economic life was, and still is, more State-centred in China. The editors bring together these analytical threads in a final chapter, opening wider horizons for this new line of comparative economic research which is important for the understanding of modern ideological turns. This volume provides valuable reading for scholars in the history of economic thought, economic history and Chinese studies.

Modern China: A Very Short Introduction

Modern China: A Very Short Introduction PDF Author: Rana Mitter
Publisher: OUP Oxford
ISBN: 0191578797
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 170

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Book Description
China today is never out of the news: from human rights controversies and the continued legacy of Tiananmen Square, to global coverage of the Beijing Olympics, and the Chinese 'economic miracle'. It seems a country of contradictions: a peasant society with some of the world's most futuristic cities, heir to an ancient civilization that is still trying to find a modern identity. This Very Short Introduction offers the reader with no previous knowledge of China a variety of ways to understand the world's most populous nation, giving a short, integrated picture of modern Chinese society, culture, economy, politics and art. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Merchants, Market and Monarchy

Merchants, Market and Monarchy PDF Author: Tengda Hua
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 303077189X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 309

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Book Description
This book explores the vital role of merchants within early modern China. Unlike European merchants, their Sino-colleagues have long been regarded as certain social pariahs after pre-Qin period, despite the fortune they made. The key mission of this monograph is to investigate whether the standing of merchants in the Ming Empire has been improved compared with their predecessors. Generally, their status is reflected in state-merchant relationship and their role in the market, which can be found in miscellaneous economic activities such as market monopoly, commercial taxation, international trade, and consumption. This book aims to be of relevance to students and researchers interested in early modern history, eastern commerce, Ming merchants, and contemporary global affairs.

Thoughts on Economic Development in China

Thoughts on Economic Development in China PDF Author: Ma Ying
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 0415684277
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 354

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Book Description
This book is about mutual influences of thinking about economic development in China and in the West, from the 18th century until the present. Its chapters are contributed by development economists and historians of thought from China and other parts of the world. The book describes important stages in the evolution, cross-fertilization and contextual modification of ideas about economic order, development and institutional change. It illustrates how Western concepts and theories have been adopted and adapted to Chinese conditions in different waves of modernization from the late 19th century until the present and that this was and is no one-way traffic. The book describes how pre-classical thinking in the West, in particular French Physiocracy in mid-18th century, was influenced by China as an ideal and a source of ideas, at a time when China was the largest and most advanced economy in the world. It discusses to what extent concepts of Western-style economics, in particular in the fields of development economics and institutional economics, can be used to understand the rapid transitions and developments of the Chinese economy in recent decades, and to what extent they might need to be modified in the light of new experiences and insights. Against this background, several contributions to the volume provide assessments of the current state of economic science and teaching in China, in particular with regard to Chinese views on Western economics. The book should be of interest to those who are interested in economic development and the history of economics in China.

Between Command and Market

Between Command and Market PDF Author: Elisa Levi Sabattini
Publisher: BRILL
ISBN: 9004466436
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 419

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Book Description
A deeply researched and thought-provoking set of essays on a sorely-neglected topic in Chinese economic, intellectual, and political history.

An Economic History of Modern China

An Economic History of Modern China PDF Author: Joseph C. H. Chai
Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing
ISBN: 0857936328
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 277

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Book Description
'This book is a remarkable tour de force. Joseph Chai offers a fine synthesis of thinking about the nature and origins of China's long-run economic growth and structural change. Through the meticulous use of an impressive range of sources, he explores some of the most challenging puzzles of China's economic history, such as its failure to match the modern industrial revolutions of Western Europe, or, closer to home, to rival Japan's economic transformation in the final decades of the nineteenth century. His definition of history is broad and his narrative extends down to the present day, thereby illuminating continuities and discontinuities across not only the historical divides of 1840 and 1911, but also those of 1949 and 1979. But despite its ambitious scope, Chai's analysis is authoritative, nuanced and full of detail. It will surely become necessary reading not only within the academic community of China scholars and students, but also among that even larger audience of readers seeking to understand the "rise of China".' Robert Ash, University of London, UK 'For most people interested in the contemporary Chinese economy, the story begins with Deng Xiaoping's policy of Opening and Reform in 1978. This is especially true of students from China, where modern history is still taught in a simple, politically determined framework. This situation urgently needs remedying and Joseph Chai's new book is a valuable step in this direction. Chai surveys China's economic growth from the earliest times to the present day explaining the key turning points and the intellectual puzzles that arise in this long evolution. This book will be of interest to the general reader and will be valuable as a textbook for students studying any aspect of China's current development and prospects.' Christopher Howe, University of London, UK 'Joseph Chai places the recent phase of China's spectacular economic growth in its historical context in his well-researched, interesting and accessible overview of the economic history of China. Because no similar up-to-date book is available in English, English readers will find this book particularly welcome. Valuable attributes of his exposition include analyses of various economic puzzles (for example, why did China, which was once the world's economic leader, falter, suffer economic retardation, fall behind Europe and begin its economic resurgence later than Japan?) and his thoughtful considerations of the prospects for China's future economic growth. This book is highly recommended.' Clem Tisdell, The University of Queensland, Australia As a country's current development is path dependent, the rise of China and its strategic implications can only be understood in a historical context. Hence, the key to understanding contemporary China is the understanding of its past. So far there has been an absence of a comprehensive text dealing with Chinese economic history in the English language. An Economic History of Modern China fills this important gap, focusing on modern Chinese economic growth and comprehensively surveying the patterns of China's growth experience over the past 200 years, from the Opium wars to the present day. Key events are traced back to their foundations in history to explain their impact on China's modern economic growth.

Westernization Movement and Early Thought of Modernization in China

Westernization Movement and Early Thought of Modernization in China PDF Author: Jianbo Zhou
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3030869857
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 388

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Book Description
This book examines the Westernization Movement in modern Chinese History, in the latter 19th century and the economic impact on manufacturing and enterprise evolution. It examines the rise, development, and performance of this movement on both the micro and macro-levels. This book reveals achievements in technology transfer without political changes, which set the limits for the westernization movement. It evaluates the link between the Westernization Movement and China’s economic reforms after 1978, and the factors that may have constrained the development of economic thought in China. The book provides valuable insights into how Chinese economic thought transitioned, and is a valuable contribution to the debate on how the early Westernization Movement in China caused a change in consumer thought. It will be of interest to academics in economic history and those interested in the development of modern China and the emergence of manufacturing and entrepreneurship in China.