Modern China in Transition and Development: A Panoramic View

Chapter 1 provides an introduction and overview. The subsequent chapter details a specific historical period, as the corresponding chapter title correctly implies. Chapter 2 focuses on the period of transformational development of the Late Qing Dynasty and the socio-economic situation after the founding of the Republic of China. Chapter 3 is about the Chinese economy in wars and covers the period of the Anti-Japanese War and China’s War of Liberation. Chapter 4 is concerned with the economy under the early governance of the People’s Republic of China, while Chapter 5 focuses on the subsequent twists and turns of the socialist economic construction.

The longest chapter, Chapter 6, is devoted to the great turning point in China’s socialist construction history – the reform and opening up. The last two chapters, Chapters 7 and 8, stride into the 21st Century. Chapter 7 is about the new stage of China’s economy, new development strategies, completion and prospect, and the achievements of the first 12 years into the new century, while Chapter 8 discusses the new economic normal and socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era.

Table of Contents

Preface

Chapter 1. Introduction and Overview
1.1. A Brief Introduction to the History
1.2. The Economic History of Modern China
1.3. Economic Transition of Contemporary China

Chapter 2. The Economic Situation of the Early Stage
2.1. The Early Stage of Foreign Trade
2.2. The Background of the Opium War
2.3. The Influences of the Opium War
2.4. Transformational Development of Late Qing Dynasty
2.5. The Society of the Republic of China

Chapter 3. The Chinese Economy in Wars
Part I: The Economic Situation during the Anti-Japanese War (1937-1945)
3.1. A Social Background of the Anti-Japanese War
3.2. The General Economic Conditions
3.3. The Economic Situation in Kuomintang Ruling Areas
3.4. The Economy under the Leadership of the Communist Party of China
Part II: The Economic Situation during China’s War of Liberation (1945-1949)
3.5. The Social Background of China’s War of Liberation
3.6. The American Influence in Kuomintang Ruling Areas
3.7. The Collapse of Kuomintang Areas
3.8. The Victory of the New Democratic Economy

Chapter 4. Early Governance of the People’s Republic of China
Part I: The Period of Economic Recovery (1949-1952)
4.1. Elimination of Residual Forces
4.2. The Agrarian Reform
4.3. Unified Financial Management
Part II: The Second Transition Stage and the First Five-Year Plan (1953-1957)
4.4. Industrialization
4.5. The Transformation of Agriculture
4.6. Transformation of Handicraft Industry
4.7. Transformation of Capitalist Industry and Commerce

Chapter 5. Twists and Turns of the Socialist Economic Construction
5.1. The Movement of Great Leap Forward and People’s Commune
5.2. The Adjustment Policies Attempting to Recover the Economy
5.3. The Great Cultural Revolution

Chapter 6. A Great Turning Point: The Reform and Opening Up
Part I: The Great Transition
6.1. Reform and Opening Up
6.2. The Household Contract Responsibility System
6.3. Township and Village Enterprises
6.4. A Reform of Urban Economic Systems
6.5. The Opening-Up Policy
Part II: Initial Success of the Reform and Opening up
6.6. The Theory of the Primary Stage of Socialism
6.7. The Sixth Five-Year Plan
6.8. The Seventh Five-Year Plan
Part III. Progress in the 1990s
6.9. The Socialist Market Economy System
6.10. Reform of State-Owned Enterprises
6.11. The Return of Hongkong to China
6.12. Achievements in the 1990s

Chapter 7. Developments in the 21st Century
7.1. The New Stage of China’s Economy
7.2. New Development Strategies
7.3. Experiences from the Tenth and Eleventh Five-Year Plans
7.4. Major Achievements

Chapter 8. The Breakthroughs of the New Stage
8.1. The New Normal of China’s Economy
8.2. The New Vision on Development
8.3. A New Era of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics

About the Authors

Bibliography

Index