China's Economic Development: The Interplay of Scarcity and Ideology (Michigan Studies On China) - Softcover

Eckstein, Alexander

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0472083104 ISBN 13: 9780472083107

Publisher: University of Michigan Press, 1975

Synopsis

China's Economic Development: The Interplay of Scarcity and Ideology by Alexander Eckstein provides a comprehensive analysis of China's economic growth and transformation from a socialist economy. Eckstein examines the unique challenges China faced in addressing its economic backwardness, such as scarcity of resources and ideological constraints, and compares its industrialization to other countries. The book explores how Maoist ideology and policy initiatives impacted the country's economic strategies, leading to a fluctuating development pattern characterized by rapid expansion in the 1950s and stagnation in the 1960s. Key themes include the dichotomy between scarcity and ideology, the influence of historical factors on economic structures, and the adaptation to Soviet models. Eckstein sheds light on how China navigated its unique size, population pressures, and low per capita income, arguing that understanding these dynamics is crucial for both development theory and policy design. This volume, part of the Michigan Studies on China series, compiles essays and research that contribute to a nuanced understanding of China's economic systems, with particular focus on the tensions between ideological aspirations and economic realities.

About this title

About the Author

Alexander Eckstein (1915–1976) was an economist for the US State Department, as well as professor of economics at the University of Michigan, where he became a pivotal figure in the Center for Chinese Studies.

Edition details

• Publisher: University of Michigan Press
• Publication date: 1975
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0472083104
• ISBN 13: 9780472083107
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 416