Hi, I've an essay in economic history about China and I'm mighty lost, if someone could help me on that would be great.
The question is: Was post-Song China an ultimate case of environmental determinism?
Was post-song China an ultimate case of environmental determinism?
Is the cause of the relative Chinese backwardness due to its natural and human endowment?
I. An agriculture determined by geography
A. China the promised land of peasants
1. The most favourable land for agriculture
2. An amazing demographic density
3. Empty highlands
B. Socio-political consequences of a blessing
1. A labour-intensive economy
2. Poor terms of trade
3. Hydraulic despotism
C. The Chinese agricultural curse
1. Engels law
2. The problem of capital formation
3. The lack of labour scarcity
II. Institutions shaped by ecological pressure
A. The core-periphery paradoxes: a weak central state
1. Enemies at the gates
2. Controlling the gentry (end of legionary system)
3. Abandoning the seas
B. The physiocratic state and the merchants
1. High transfer costs from agriculture
2. The high fiscal equilibrium trap
3. Trading under the umbrella?
C. The devastating 17th century crisis
1. Dependency upon silver
2. Disastrous inflation
3. Turning inward, conservative evolution
III. Did China endowment prevent the industrial revolution?
A. Just not the right endowment1. IR in the 11th century?
2. Transportation cost
3. Coal
B. Domestic problems1. Consequences of lack of merchant institutions
2. A divided people
3. Just too big and too close a market?
C. International problems1. No colonies?
2. The best of the spoils for the Europeans (≠ Jap)
3.
Any help would be really really welcomed