These notes and other materials cover the EH207: The Making of an Economic Superpower: China since 1850.

This course provides a survey of long-term economic change in China from the mid-nineteenth century to the present. It focuses on China's long path to becoming a major global economic power at the beginning of the new millennium. The course examines the importance of ideological and institutional change in bringing about economic transformations by surveying major historical turning points such as the opening of China in the mid-nineteenth century, the collapse of the Qing in 1911, the rise of the Communist regime in the 1950s and the adoption of a reform policy since the late 1970s. It examines both the constraints as well as the capacity of a giant traditional economy to respond and regenerate in the face of external challenge from outside since the Opium War of the mid-nineteenth century. The economic analysis of Chinese economic history will examine both macro and micro level questions.

These notes include approx. 30 reading summaries, numerous revision sheets which summarise the main topics of the course as well as comprehensive essay plans and practice question outlines.