The Laws and Economics of Confucianism: Kinship and Property in Preindustrial China and England (Cambridge Studies in Economics, Choice, and Society)

Tying Together Cultural History, Legal History, And Institutional Economics, The Laws And Economics Of Confucianism: Kinship And Property In Pre-industrial China And England Offers A Novel Argument As To Why Chinese And English Pre-industrial Economic Development Went Down Different Paths. The Dominance Of Neo-confucian Social Hierarchies In Late Imperial And Republican China, Under Which Advanced Age And Generational Seniority Were The Primary Determinants Of Sociopolitical Status, Allowed Many Poor But Senior Individuals To Possess Status And Political Authority Highly Disproportionate To Their Wealth. In Comparison, Landed Wealth Was A Fairly Strict Prerequisite For High Status And Authority In The Far More 'individualist' Society Of Early Modern England, Essentially Excluding Low-income Individuals From Secular Positions Of Prestige And Leadership. Zhang Argues That This Social Difference Had Major Consequences For Property Institutions And Agricultural Production-- Machine Generated Contents Note: 1. 'dian' Sales In Qing And Republican China; 2. Mortgages In Early Modern England; 3. Kinship, Social Hierarchy, And Institutional Divergence (theories); 4. Kinship, Social Hierarchy, And Institutional Divergence (empirics); 5. Kinship Hierarchies In Late Imperial History; 6. Property Institutions And Agricultural Capitalism; Conclusion; Index. Taisu Zhang. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. La première page liminaire indique :"Tying together cultural history, legal history, and institutional economics, The Laws and Economics of Confucianism: Kinship and Property in Pre-Industrial China and England offers a novel argument as to why Chinese and English pre-industrial economic development went down different paths. The dominance of Neo-Confucian social hierarchies in Late Imperial and Republican China, under which advanced age and generational seniority were the primary determinants of sociopolitical status, allowed many poor but senior individuals to possess status and political authority highly disproportionate to their wealth. In comparison, landed wealth was a fairly strict prerequisite for high status and authority in the far more 'individualist' society of early modern England, essentially excluding low-income individuals from secular positions of prestige and leadership. Zhang argues that this social difference had major consequences for property institutions and agricultural production." "Tying together cultural history, legal history, and institutional economics, The Laws and Economics of Confucianism: Kinship and Property in Pre-Industrial China and England offers a novel argument as to why Chinese and English pre-industrial economic development went down different paths. The dominance of Neo-Confucian social hierarchies in Late Imperial and Republican China, under which advanced age and generational seniority were the primary determinants of sociopolitical status, allowed many poor but senior individuals to possess status and political authority highly disproportionate to their wealth. In comparison, landed wealth was a fairly strict prerequisite for high status and authority in the far more 'individualist' society of early modern England, essentially excluding low-income individuals from secular positions of prestige and leadership. Zhang argues that this social difference had major consequences for property institutions and agricultural production"-- Provided by publisher 01.0_The_Laws_and_Economics_of_Confucianism 02.0_pp_i_iv_Cambridge_Studies_in_Economics_Choice_and_Society 03.0_pp_i_iv_The_Laws_and_Economics_of_Confucianism 04.0_pp_i_iv_Copyright_page 05.0_pp_i_iv_Dedication 06.0_pp_v_vi_Contents 07.0_pp_vii_viii_Acknowledgments 08.0_pp_ix_x_Introduction 09.0_pp_1_34_Dian_Sales_in_Qing_and_Republican_China 10.0_pp_35_63_Mortgages_in_Early_Modern_England 11.0_pp_64_85_Kinship_Social_Hierarchy_and_Institutional_Divergence_Theories 12.0_pp_86_122_Kinship_Social_Hierarchy_and_Institutional_Divergence_Empirics 13.0_pp_123_183_Kinship_Hierarchies_in_Late_Imperial_History 14.0_pp_184_219_Property_Institutions_and_Agricultural_Capitalism 15.0_pp_220_251_Conclusion 16.0_pp_252_268_Appendices 16.1_pp_252_268_APPENDIX_A_List_of_Dian-Related_Cases 16.2_pp_269_274_APPENDIX_B_List_of_Political_Elites_from_Seven_North_China_Villages 17.0_pp_275_280_Bibliography 18.0_pp_281_302_Chinese_Terms 19.0_pp_303_304_Index