State, Economy and the Great Divergence : Great Britain and China, 1680s–1850s

"State, Economy and the Great Divergence provides a new analysis of what has become the central debate in global economic history: the 'great divergence' between European and Asian growth. Focusing on early modern China and Western Europe, in particular Great Britain, this book offers a new level of detail on comparative state formation that has wide-reaching implications for European, Eurasian and global history. Beginning with an overview of the historiography, Peer Vries goes on to extend and develop the debate, critically engaging with the huge volume of literature published on the topic to date. Incorporating recent insights, he offers a compelling alternative to the claims to East-West equivalence, or Asian superiority, which have come to dominate discourse surrounding this issue. This is a vital update to a key issue in global economic history and, as such, is essential reading for students and scholars interested in keeping up to speed with the on-going debates."--Bloomsbury Publishing. Title Page Copyright Page Contents Preface INTRODUCTION The importance, role and function of the state: The cases of Great Britain and China HISTORIOGRAPHICAL INTRODUCTION: TRADITIONAL VIEWS AND ALTERNATIVE PERSPECTIVES The persistence of the traditional view: Britain as an emerging free-trade economy The persistence of the traditional view: China as a despotic, ‘oriental’ empire Alternative perspectives: Fiscal-militarism and mercantilism in Britain and benevolent agrarian paternalism in China Further revisionism: Early modern parallels in state-building and the creating of empire BRINGING THE STATE BACK IN States: Modern and premodern The concept of state strength SOME COMMENTS ON METHODS, MEASUREMENTS AND MONEY A note on money and silver TWO TOPICS THAT WILL NOT BE DISCUSSED EXTENSIVELY: PROPERTY RIGHTS AND LAW Chapter 1 REVENUE THE EFFICIENCY OF REVENUE COLLECTION Centralization versus decentralization Tax (in)efficiency and what caused it: The case of Great Britain Tax (in)efficiency and what caused it: The case of China An intermezzo: Are some taxes easier to collect than others? Land taxes in China versus excises and customs in Great Britain From inefficiency to malpractices and corruption Some general comments on the strength of the British and Chinese states TAX SYSTEMS AND THEIR TRAJECTORIES Revenue at the disposal and discretion of central government Other forms of government revenue in (Western) Europe War reparations and prize money Income from the colonies and the outsourcing of violence and rule Taxes and other forms of government revenue in China during the entire period of the high Qing: General remarks Other sources of government income China: A closer look at official quantities A more in-depth comparison of government revenue in (Great) Britain and China during the very long eighteenth century Government revenue and national income Private incomes and government incomes in Great Britain Private incomes and government incomes in China Government levies and purchasing power Government’s purchasing power Increasing versus decreasing government revenues Great Britain as a European outlier China: The continuing predominance of land taxes and the continued irrelevance of excises and customs Some further comments on indirect taxes in Great Britain Chapter 2 (OVER-)EXPENDITURE EXPENDITURE A closer look at expenditures: The overwhelming importance of the military Non-military expenditures in Great Britain and China: Was Qing China indeed more of a ‘welfare state’ than Great Britain? How successful were social policies in combating crises? A brief comment on monetization of expenditure OVER-EXPENDITURE Military Keynesianism Frugal China Chapter 3 FINANCE AND MONEY Financial and monetary systems Britain’s financial revolution: The emergence of a system of representation and trust? China’s financial system, or rather its absence Great Britain’s monetary system China’s monetary system Some final comments Chapter 4 PEOPLE Bureaucrats and bureaucracy Some comments on the situation in Europe Bureaucrats and bureaucracy in China The overwhelming importance of the military Some comments on the situation in Europe Great Britain as a military superpower China’s military Chapter 5 THE MILITARY AND THE ECONOMY From military to economic revolution and/or the other way around? Fundamental changes in Great Britain’s military? Stasis in China? The economic impact of war: The British case Chapter 6 ECONOMIC POLICIES The practice of mercantilism in Western Europe Some comments on mercantilism and labour in Great Britain British trade: Prohibitions, tariffs and support Protected trade, the use of violence and territorial power Chinese economic policy: Agrarian paternalism at home and when it comes to foreign trade The Qing and foreign trade The effects of ‘isolationism’ Was China’s economy up until the silver drain in the nineteenth century really as advanced as revisionists want us to believe? Or, what is wrong with the thesis that China was the global silver sink The logic of mercantile capitalism Chapter 7 EMPIRE AND ECONOMY Empire-building in the west: the logic behind it Empire-building in the West: Land and people The importance of empire and ghost acreage for the economy of Great Britain China and empire China and ghost acreage Chapter 8 STATE-BUILDING, NATION-BUILDING AND ‘LEGIBILITY’ State and nation in Great Britain and China ‘Governmentality’, knowledge and discipline CONCLUDING REMARKS What differences did differences make? APPENDICES Appendix A Literature dealing with the question to which extent Great Britain was different from/similar to other (Western) European countries Aooebdix B Estimates of official regular (tax) revenue/income of central government in Qing China1 Bibliography INDEX OF PERSONS INDEX OF PLACES INDEX OF SUBJECTS State, Economy and the Great Divergence provides a new analysis of what has become the central debate in global economic history: the 'great divergence' between European and Asian growth. Focusing on early modern China and Western Europe, in particular Great Britain, this book offers a new level of detail on comparative state formation that has wide-reaching implications for European, Eurasian and global history.Beginning with an overview of the historiography, Peer Vries goes on to extend and develop the debate, critically engaging with the huge volume of literature published on the topic to date. Incorporating recent insights, he offers a compelling alternative to the claims to East-West equivalence, or Asian superiority, which have come to dominate discourse surrounding this issue.This is a vital update to a key issue in global economic history and, as such, is essential reading for students and scholars interested in keeping up to speed with the on-going debates.--PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION State, Economy and the Great Divergence provides a new analysis of what has become the central debate in global economic history: the 'great divergence' between European and Asian growth. Focusing on early modern China and Western Europe, in particular Great Britain, this book offers a new level of detail on comparative state formation that has wide-reaching implications for European, Eurasian and global history.Beginning with an overview of the historiography, Peer Vries goes on to extend and develop the debate, critically engaging with the huge volume of literature published on the topic to date. Incorporating recent insights, he offers a compelling alternative to the claims to East-West equivalence, or Asian superiority, which have come to dominate discourse surrounding this issue.This is a vital update to a key issue in global economic history and, as such, is essential reading for students and scholars interested in keeping up to speed with the on-going debates.--Página 4 de cubierta