History And Economics Notes Chinese Economic History Since 1850 Notes
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 s...
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Describe the causes of the collapse of the unequal treaty port system
Relatively balanced at first
China showed willingness at the beginning, but gun boat diplomacy was a major factor
Compradors and middlemen became involved in trade
Status quo essentially unchallenged until Japan came along (Duus et al., 1989)
Japan wanted treaty port status since Meiji restoration
Acquired it with the Treaty of Shimonoseki in 1895
Treaty of Shimonoseki gave more navigation rights on Yangtze and Woosung and manufacturing rights Altered the status quo Foreigners became more prominent Xenophobia and Nationalism
When they attempted to gain more control of Manchuria this led to boycotts and strikes in 1920s
Failure for Paris Peace Conference to acknowledge of conclude on the Manchuria problem
However, by this time Britain (1928) was willing to concede tariff autonomy
Lord Cadogan (1935) – Trade important but not at risk of security
Japanese territorial ambitions led to the collapse of the treaty port system
What role did Japan play for Chinese reformists in the late 19th century to early 20th century
Success of Meiji reforms Qing Confucian reforms looked to Japan for inspiration
Reformist community developed in Japan Received protection from Japan
Abolition of civil service examinations Overseas study important for government roles
Japanese proximity meant many students went to Japan Large student movement in the early 1900s (Jansen, 1980)
Initial student activism faced at foreign imperialism not the Qing
But instability meant reformists moved focus towards Qing Qing became vigilant of students in Tokyo (Woo, 1980)
After the Hundred Days, Japan tried to intermediate between Qing and reformists, but Japan then seen to be harbouring reformists
What were the key economic objectives of the early Mao period?
Four main objectives during early Mao period (Maddison, 1998; Naughton, 1991)
1) Target landlords, bourgeoisie and foreign interests
Reforms to property rights
Land reform (1950-1952) Confiscate land and redistribution Agricultural growth and improving living standards
2) Increase in state revenues finance admin mechanisms, military expansion and capital accumulation
3) Replace market economy with regulatory devices and state planning
First five year plan 3.5% growth in grain production
Great Leap Forward (1958-1960) Mass mobilization, rapid expansion, collectivization state planning apparatus and control over agricultural resources
4) Foreign trade eliminated Goal of self-sufficiency
Worried of reliance on foreign imports
Danger of military intervention from West US encroaching on China in Korea, Vietnam Japanese in Burma, Laos etc. (Moise, 1986)
Aided by trade embargoes by European countries until 1957 and US until 1971
Describe the main changes in economic variables in the period 1952-1978 along with their causes
Between 1953 and 1978 – Annual output grew 6% on average
First FYP contributed towards this
Construction of 694 industrial projects Massive increase in investment
Exceed original target by 17% (Hsu, 2000)
But on the back of dramatic laws of prewar China, years of civil war etc. Context important!
Success not consistent throughout the period (Eckstein, 1973)
Between 1950 and 1980s – Population grew from 560m to 1bn
Increasing living standards
CCP not initially worried by population growth (Marxist view as asset)
1950s small scale efforts to control campaigns on virtue of late marriage etc. Little success
1970s leadership expressed economic growth as an outcome of population control
One child policy officially launched by 1979
Labour productivity increased too
Intensified use advanced agricultural techniques, fertilisers, irrigation etc. But focus on quantity not quality Not as good as could have been
Mass mobilization of best rural workers to industrial centres increased urban productivity at expense of rural
What characterizes the land reforms of 1950-52?
Focus on confiscation and redistribution of land
Crucial in gaining mass support
Coincided with agricultural growth and significant improvements in living standards
Peasants encouraged to form mutual aid teams
Worked well incentives remained improved output because efficient pooling of resources
Land reform was not new
Had been taking place since 1930s by CCP in CCP controlled areas (Moise, 1986)
What is collectivization and what effects did it have during the early Mao period?
Collectivisation was an agricultural programme between 1952 and 1957
Similar aims to USSR, but nowhere near the velocity or scale
Deemed a crucial part of the first FYP
Aimed at increasing output, facilitating control over rural production and resource extraction (Yang, 1996)
Mutual aid teams with temporary sharing of labour, tools and draft animal Retained ownership over land
1954 increasingly organized into agricultural producers’ cooperatives which permanently pooled labour, tools and animals Still retained ownership
1956 increasingly into advanced producers’ cooperatives Income no longer on share of land, now on labour contribution
Growth of 3.5% per year mainly due to intensification of techniques
Lower incentives in the advanced cooperatives but peasants had no choice as credit cooperatives, supply and demand cooperatives restricted private economic opportunities
Mao constantly changed the speed of collectivization, reacting to peasant response Peasants responded positively to 3 fix policy Led Mao to once again intensify the programme
By the end of 1957, 97% of peasant households organized in collectives
Describe briefly, the main causes of the Great Leap Forward
Began after the Third Plenum in 1958 – 1960
Mass mobilization, rapid expansion, intensification of cooperative farms into people’s communes (Yang, 1996)
“Mao got carried away” (Deng, 1980)
Higher production goals Very unrealistic Mao believed productivity and morale would boost production, not investment or fertilisers
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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 s...
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