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Economic growth in the Lower Yangzi region of China in 1911–1937: a quantitative and historical analysis

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  • Ma, Debin

Abstract

Through a detailed reconstruction of 1933 GDP for the two provinces in China's most advanced region, the Lower Yangzi, I show that their per capita income was 55 percent higher than China's average, and they had experienced a growth and structural change between 1914–1918 and 1931–1936 comparable to contemporaneous Japan and her East Asian colonies. This article highlights the unique political institution of early-twentieth-century Shanghai as a city state, with its rule of law and secure property rights laying the foundation for economic growth in the Lower Yangzi with long-term impact throughout East Asia.

Suggested Citation

  • Ma, Debin, 2008. "Economic growth in the Lower Yangzi region of China in 1911–1937: a quantitative and historical analysis," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 32398, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:32398
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    Cited by:

    1. Cheng Yang, 2022. "The occupational structure of late Imperial China, 1734–1898: A dissertation summary," Australian Economic History Review, Economic History Society of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(2), pages 176-190, July.
    2. Gan Jin & Günther G. Schulze, 2024. "Historical Legacies and Urbanization: Evidence from Chinese Concessions," Discussion Paper Series 47 JEL Classification: N9, Department of International Economic Policy, University of Freiburg, revised Feb 2024.
    3. Chaudhary, Latika & Musacchio, Aldo & Nafziger, Steven & Yan, Se, 2012. "Big BRICs, weak foundations: The beginning of public elementary education in Brazil, Russia, India, and China," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 49(2), pages 221-240.
    4. Cheng Yang, 2022. "A new estimate of Chinese male occupational structure during 1734–1898 by sector, sub‐sector pattern, and region," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 75(4), pages 1270-1313, November.
    5. Yi Xu & Zhihong Shi & Bas Leeuwen & Yuping Ni & Zipeng Zhang & Ye Ma, 2017. "Chinese National Income, ca. 1661–1933," Australian Economic History Review, Economic History Society of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 57(3), pages 368-393, November.
    6. Robert C. Allen & Jean-Pascal Bassino & Debin Ma & Christine Moll-Murata & Jan Luiten Van Zanden, 2011. "Wages, prices, and living standards in China, 1738–1925: in comparison with Europe, Japan, and India," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 64, pages 8-38, February.
    7. Laura Alfaro & Cathy Ge Bao & Maggie X. Chen & Junjie Hong & Claudia Steinwender, 2022. "Omnia Juncta in Uno: Foreign Powers and Trademark Protection in Shanghai’s Concession Era," NBER Working Papers 29721, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    8. Niv Horesh, 2015. "Gerschenkron Redux? Analysing New Evidence on Joint-Stock Enterprise in Pre-War Shanghai," Asian-Pacific Economic Literature, The Crawford School, The Australian National University, vol. 29(1), pages 25-46, May.
    9. Chun‐Yu Ho & Dan Li, 2024. "Credibility building in the sovereign debt market: Evidence from prewar China," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 77(2), pages 675-702, May.
    10. Bo, Shiyu & Liu, Cong & Zhou, Yan, 2023. "Military investment and the rise of industrial clusters: Evidence from China’s self-strengthening movement," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    11. Loren Brandt & Debin Ma & Thomas G. Rawski, 2014. "From Divergence to Convergence: Reevaluating the History behind China's Economic Boom," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 52(1), pages 45-123, March.
    12. Yuchtman, Noam, 2017. "Teaching to the tests: An economic analysis of traditional and modern education in late imperial and republican China," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 70-90.
    13. Yuan, Tangjun & Fukao, Kyoji & Wu, Harry X., 2010. "Comparative output and labor productivity in manufacturing between China, Japan, Korea and the United States for ca. 1935 - A production-side PPP approach," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 47(3), pages 325-346, July.
    14. Bo, Shiyu & Chen, Ting & Liu, Cong, 2022. "Trade shocks, industrial growth, and electrification in early 20th-century China," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(3), pages 732-749.
    15. Hugo Eduardo da Gama Cerqueira & Eduardo da Motta e Albuquerque, 2020. "China and the first impact of the industrial revolution: initial conditions and a falling-behind trajectory until 1949 [China e o impacto inicial da revolução industrial: condições iniciais e trajetór," Nova Economia, Economics Department, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (Brazil), vol. 30(spe), pages 1169-1198, December.
    16. Maximilian Stallkamp & Brian C Pinkham & Andreas P J Schotter & Olha Buchel, 2018. "Core or periphery? The effects of country-of-origin agglomerations on the within-country expansion of MNEs," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 49(8), pages 942-966, October.
    17. MA, Ye & JONG, Herman de, 2016. "Unfolding the Turbulent Century: A Reconstruction of China's Economic Development, 1840-1912," Discussion paper series HIAS-E-29, Hitotsubashi Institute for Advanced Study, Hitotsubashi University.
    18. Peter M. Solar, 2021. "China, Europe, and the Great Divergence: Further Concerns about the Historical GDP Estimates for China," Working Papers 0217, European Historical Economics Society (EHES).
    19. James Kai‐Sing Kung & Nansheng Bai & Yiu‐Fai Lee, 2011. "Human capital, migration, and a ‘vent’ for surplus rural labour in 1930s China: the case of the Lower Yangzi," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 64(s1), pages 117-141, February.
    20. Ma, Debin & Yuan, Weipeng, 2013. "Discovering Chinese Economic History from Footnotes: the Living Tale of a Private Merchant Archive (1800-1850)," CAGE Online Working Paper Series 164, Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE).
    21. Alexander F. McQuoid & Yi Ding & Cem Karayalcin, 2017. "Fiscal Federalism, Fiscal Reform, and Economic Growth in China," Departmental Working Papers 57, United States Naval Academy Department of Economics.
    22. Matthew Lowenstein, 2024. "Rotating savings and credit associations (ROSCAs) in prewar China: Communal finance and the roots of economic development," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 77(3), pages 796-822, August.

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    JEL classification:

    • N0 - Economic History - - General

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