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Standards of Living in Colonial Korea: Did the Masses Become Worse Off or Better Off Under Japanese Rule?

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  • Kimura, Mitsuhiko

Abstract

This article discusses the changing living standards among the Korean masses under Japanese rule. Farm income per household, agricultural real wages, and per capita calorie intake from staple foods declined. On the other hand primary school enrollment, literacy, and survival rates rose, and average stature at least did not decrease. Arguing that literacy rates, survival rates, and average stature are variables more directly related to living conditions than the others, this article concludes that the Korean masses' standards of living rose between colonization and 1940. Still, any summary assessment depends on the weights assigned to different variables.

Suggested Citation

  • Kimura, Mitsuhiko, 1993. "Standards of Living in Colonial Korea: Did the Masses Become Worse Off or Better Off Under Japanese Rule?," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 53(3), pages 629-652, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:jechis:v:53:y:1993:i:03:p:629-652_01
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    Cited by:

    1. Sunyoung Pak & Daniel Schwekendiek & Hee Kyoung Kim, 2011. "Height and living standards in North Korea, 1930s–1980s," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 64(s1), pages 142-158, February.
    2. Saxonhouse, Gary R., 2005. "Kazuo Sato and Korean and Japanese managers and workers in colonial Korea," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 16(5), pages 770-779, October.
    3. Young Back Choi & Yong J. Yoon, 2016. "Liberalism in Korea," Econ Journal Watch, Econ Journal Watch, vol. 13(1), pages 100–128-1, January.
    4. Sascha O. Becker & Cheongyeon Won, 2021. "Jesus Speaks Korean: Christianity and Literacy in Colonial Korea," Rivista di storia economica, Società editrice il Mulino, issue 1, pages 7-32.
    5. Booth, Anne & Deng, Kent, 2016. "Japanese colonialism in comparative perspective," Economic History Working Papers 68883, London School of Economics and Political Science, Department of Economic History.
    6. Choi, Seong-Jin & Schwekendiek, Daniel, 2009. "The biological standard of living in colonial Korea, 1910-1945," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 7(2), pages 259-264, July.
    7. Haggard, Stephan & Kang, David & Moon, Chung-In, 1997. "Japanese colonialism and Korean development: A critique," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 25(6), pages 867-881, June.
    8. Hui Jeong Ha & Jinhyung Lee & Junghwan Kim & Youngjoon Kim, 2022. "Uncovering Inequalities in Food Accessibility between Koreans and Japanese in 1930s Colonial Seoul Using GIS and Open-Source Transport Analytics Tools," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-25, September.
    9. Jeffrey G. Williamson, 2000. "Land, Labor and Globalization in the Pre-Industrial Third World," NBER Working Papers 7784, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    10. Niv Horesh, 2012. "Between Copper, Silver and Gold: Japanese Banks of Issue in Taiwan, Northeast China and Korea, 1879–1937," China Report, , vol. 48(4), pages 375-392, November.
    11. Bassino, Jean-Pascal & Coclanis, Peter A., 2008. "Economic transformation and biological welfare in colonial Burma: Regional differentiation in the evolution of average height," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 6(2), pages 212-227, July.
    12. Richard Grabowski, 2010. "State Effectiveness and Structural Traps: Some Colonial Experiences," Asia-Pacific Development Journal, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), vol. 17(1), pages 1-25, June.
    13. Kim, Duol & Park, Heejin, 2019. "A Consequence of Coerced Free Trade: Biological Living Standards of Korea during the Port-Opening Period, 1876-1910," CEI Working Paper Series 2019-9, Center for Economic Institutions, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    14. Ma, Debin, 2006. "Shanghai-based industrialization in the early 20th century: a quantitative and institutional analysis," Economic History Working Papers 22473, London School of Economics and Political Science, Department of Economic History.
    15. Ji Yeon Hong & Christopher Paik, 2018. "Colonization and education: exploring the legacy of local elites in Korea," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 71(3), pages 938-964, August.
    16. Kim, Duol & Park, Heejin, 2011. "Measuring living standards from the lowest: Height of the male Hangryu deceased in colonial Korea," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 48(4), pages 590-599.

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