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This book is a critical interpretation of a seminal and protracted debate in comparative global economic history. Since its emergence, in now classic publications in economic history between 1997-2000, debate on the divergent economic development that has marked the long-term economic growth of China and Western Europe has generated a vast collection of books and articles, conferences, networks, and new journals as well as intense interest from the media and educated public.
O'Brien provides an historiographical survey and critique of Western views on the long-run economic development of the Imperial Economy of China - a field of commentary that stretches back to the Enlightenment. The book's structure and core argument is concentrated upon an elaboration of, and critical engagement with, the major themes of recent academic debate on the "Great Divergence" and it will be of enormous interest to academics and students of economic history, political economy, the economics of growth and development, state formation, statistical measurements, environmental history, and the histories of science and globalization.
List of contents
Chapter 1: Historiographical Context and Bibliographical Guide.- Chapter 2: Statistical Bases for a Chronology of Economic Divergence Between Imperial China and Western Europe, 1636-1839.- Chapter 3: Environments and Natural Resources.- Chapter 4: The Ming and Qing Imperial States and their Agrarian Economies.- Chapter 5: Sino-Centred Reciprocal Comparisons of Europe's and China's Economic Growth 1650-1850.- Chapter 6: Cosmographies for the Discovery, Development and Diffusion of Useful and Reliable Knowledge in Europe and China.- Chapter 7: Debatable Conclusions.
About the author
Patrick Karl O'Brien, FBA, was former Director of the Institute of Historical Research at the University of London and is currently a Visiting Professor at the London School of Economics, an Emeritus Fellow of St. Antony's College and an Associate Fellow of the Center for Economic and Social History, Oxford University, UK.
