Industrial Development in Modern China

A Quantitative Analysis

Guan Quan

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2020
• eBook ISBN: 9781000325829
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Business General
• Index: Business

As the second volume of the two-volume Industrial Development in Modern China: Comparisons with Japan that studies the different paths of industrialization and economic modernization between China and Japan, this book explores the process of economic and industrial development in the Republic of China (1912-1949).

Backed up by extensive industrial statistical data gathered and rigorously analyzed by the author, this book stands out from previous research that has been limited to theoretical inferences and general judgments with scarce empirical evidence. So, far from being a purely historical review of China's industrial development, this book focuses on the internal logic of economic phenomena, especially the relationship among economic variables reflected in economic data, and it offers discussions within the framework of economic development theory. It sheds light on how China came to be a comparative economic laggard in the period, especially in comparison to Japan. The author uses multivariate statistical analysis to draw comparisons between the industrial development of China and that of Japan, focusing on outbound investment and its importance for economic growth.

This volume will appeal to academics and general readers interested in the economic development and modern economic history of East Asia, as well as development economics and industrial and technological history.

1Industry in the second decade of the 20th century

Based on the analysis of the Statistics Table of Agriculture and Commerce

Introduction

To date, the academic world makes a judgment of China’s industrial production in the second decade of the twentieth century merely based on scarce data on certain individual regions and industries, and without sufficient numerical basis. In other words, we lack a complete understanding of the overall picture and internal structure of industrial development in this period. Of course, this is caused by lack of statistical data reflecting China’s industrial conditions at the time. Some data, although it exists, is of no use because of its low quality.

This chapter is to show the situation of industrial production in this period as far as possible by collating and analyzing the Statistics Table of Agriculture and Commerce, the only comprehensive statistical data on industrial and agricultural production at that time.¹ The Statistics Table of Agriculture and Commerce is precious statistical data on the Chinese economy during this period, but is also fraught with flaws. This is why it has been rarely used by economic histor...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Series Information
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• List of figures
• List of tables and schedules
• Introduction
• 1 Industry in the second decade of the 20th century: Based on the analysis of the Statistics Table of Agriculture and Commerce
• 2 Industry in the hinterland in 1933: Based on the analysis of the Industrial Survey Report of China
• 3 Industry in Northeast China in the 1930s: Analysis based on Statistics of Factories in Manchuria
• 4 Industry in North China from 1939 to 1942: Analysis based on North China Statistics of Factories
• 5 Industry in the rear area during the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression: Based on the analysis of General Statistics of the Rear Industries: 1942
• 6 Industry in cities: Nationwide, Shanghai, Tianjin, Wuhan
• 7 Mining production during the Republic of China Period: Based on the analysis of the Mining Survey of China
• 8 Comparison of industrial development in China and Japan in the 1930s
• 9 Comparison and summary
• References
• Index