The Imperial Mode of China: An Analytical Reconstruction of Chinese Economic History

This book provides a new theoretical framework for understanding Chinese economic history by combining Marxian, Weberian, and institutionalist approaches. It argues that China's economic evolution can be viewed as a dynamic process consisting of various stages, with the imperial mode of production based on agriculture being the dominant form until the early modern period. The book explores how the imperial mode facilitated agricultural growth but hindered the development of modern commercial and industrial economies. It also integrates modern China into the long wave of economic history and offers a fresh perspective on communist China's development.

Format: Hardback
Length: 332 pages
Publication date: 08 March 2023
Publisher: Springer International Publishing AG

Utilizing Marxian,Weberian, and institutionalist approaches, this comprehensive work presents a novel theoretical framework for comprehending the essence of Chinese economic history: the 'imperial mode of China.' The book's primary objective is to innovatively apply a cohesive historical materialist framework to the economic evolution of China, while simultaneously providing in-depth micro-analysis of China's institutions throughout its extensive history.

From ancient China to the present day, this book adopts a long-run perspective to demonstrate how Chinese economic history can be perceived as a dynamic and evolutionary process encompassing various stages. The first part of the book establishes the imperial mode as a mode of production rooted in China's agricultural economy, characterized by a central authority, bureaucratic system, and peasantry. The second part of the book chronologically examines the different dynasties through this analytical lens, suggesting ways in which China's resistance to institutional changes in the early modern period has had lasting consequences for its economic development.

The book further explores how the imperial mode facilitates the agricultural economy but fails to foster the modern commercial and industrial economy. It seamlessly integrates modern China into the long wave of economic history, showcasing how this imperial mode continues to exert influence on China's current path of development. Additionally, the book offers a fresh perspective on understanding communist China from a historical standpoint.

This book will appeal to a wide range of interdisciplinary scholars and students, including those interested in economic history, economic development, the history of China, economic sociology, and social history more broadly. Its comprehensive approach and insightful analysis make it a valuable resource for anyone seeking to gain a deeper understanding of China's economic past and its implications for the present and future.

Weight: 601g
Dimension: 210 x 148 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783031270147
Edition number: 1st ed. 2023