The Economist: China was not only the largest economy for much of recorded history, but until the end of the 15th century, it also had the highest income per capita—and was the world’s technological leader
report2009
China...
The economic history of China, one of the oldest civilizations in the
world, stretches thousands of years. China was the largest economy on
earth for most of the past two millennia. [1] [2] The Financial Times
stated that "China has been the world’s largest economy for 18 of the
past 20 centuries", [3] while according to The Economist, "China was
not only the largest economy for much of recorded history, but until
the end of the 15th century, it also had the highest income per capita—
and was the world’s technological leader." [2] [4] According to
Ebrey's Cambridge Illustrated History of China, "Until 1700 China's
material culture had been unrivalled; its standard of living was among
the best in the world, and inventions flowed more commonly from east
to west than vice versa." [5]
By roughly 10,000 BCE, in the Neolithic era, agriculture was practiced
in China. Stratified bronze-age cultures, such as Erlitou, emerged by
the third millennium BCE. Under the Shang (ca. 1600-1045 BCE) and Zhou
(1045-771 BCE), a dependent labor force worked in large-scale
foundries and workshops to produce bronzes and silk for the elite. The
agricultural surpluses produced by the manorial economy of these
dynasties supported these early handicraft industries, as well as
urban centers and considerable armies. However, this system began to
break up after the collapse of the Western Zhou Dynasty in 771 BCE,
which lead to the Spring and Autumn and Warring states eras.
By 500 BCE, Chinese society, economy, and government were rapidly
changing. As the feudal system collapsed, much legislative power was
transferred to local kings. A merchant class emerged during the
Warring States Period, resulting in increased trade. The emperors
established an elaborate bureaucracy, using it to wage imperial wars,
build large temples, and perform public works projects. This new
system rewarded talent over birthright; important positions were no
longer occupied solely by nobility. An agricultural revolution, caused
by the adoption of new iron tools, led to a large population increase
during this period. By 221 BCE, the state of Qin, which embraced
reform more than other states, unified China, built the Great Wall,
and set consistent standards of government. [6] Although its draconian
laws led to its overthrow in 206 BCE, the Qin institutions survived.
During the Qin, China became a strong, unified, and centralized empire
of self-sufficient farmers and artisans, though limited local autonomy
remained.
The Song Dynasty (960-1279 CE) brought additional economic reforms.
Paper money, the printing press, the compass, and other technological
advances led to communication on a large scale and the widespread
circulation of books. The state began to exercise less power, allowing
private merchants to prosper. These new technologies and knowledge,
coupled with less bureaucratic control of merchants, allowed a large
increase in investment and profit. Despite disruptions during the
Mongol conquest of 1279, the Ming Dynasty continued the Song's
development of the economy. However, when the isolationist Qing
Dynasty came into power, China's economic development began to slow.
The discovery of America and the wealth of India aided Europe in
rapidly developing during the Industrial Revolution as China's economy
slowed—an event known as the great divergence. In 1820, China
accounted for 33% of the world's GDP, but barely a hundred years later
China accounted for only 9%. [7]
Anti-DabianchenVirus
lesbian Philippino whore abianchen, a.k.a. Meichi. Ignore her.
Facts about abianchen/Meichi the despicable ugly lesbian Philippino
whore:
http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.china/msg/ca085dc133ad3cae
Abianchen is a fraud, and above all, she is damn UGLY!
Picture of "abianchen" the Ugly:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64156901@N00/3415206204/
rst9
cunt ugly uneducated ignorant foul-mouth fatso tub of lard turkey fool
bitch.
On Nov 24, 8:16 am, report2009 <repost20...@yahoo.com> wrote:
report2009
did someone kill that one too? Haha!
Hey psycho Xangdi, just because abianchen exposed your racist act when
you pretended as a black guy using ID "Leroy B Jones" to harass black
people in November 2007 so you wanted revenge against abianchen for
the rest of your life? Get over it! Anyway, don't you think that's
hilarious when you got exposed, one netter said you got caught pants
down! Because of that, you abandoned your infamous ID "Chairman Mao
Says". That's also hilarious. Hehe!
Abianchen, a Filipino whore Meichi? No kidding! Hey, anyone believes
you and Rusty Old Fool's lies? Haha!
Oops, psycho Xangdi is going to repost his stolen Filipino girl's
photo to "prove" (frame actually) Chinese guy abianchen is "Filipino
whore Meichi" for revenge. Abianchen has become the most important
person in his life. Psycho Xangdi even calls himself "Virus for
Dabian". Can you believe it?!
Hey Psycho Xangdi (Dabian eater), you said (lied actually) that you
live in Taipei and graduated from Chinese Culture University, Taipei,
but how come you don't understand the following Chinese 打油詩:
賈潘叔, 真蜈蜙, 甘霖老木賽羚羊! 聽不懂吧?! 好爽! 哈哈!
On Nov 24, 11:20 am, Anti-DabianchenVirus <wuso...@rocketmail.com>
wrote:
> This is just another daily cut-and-paste troll post by the ugly
> lesbian Philippino whore abianchen, a.k.a. Meichi. Ignore her.
>
> Facts about abianchen/Meichi the despicable ugly lesbian Philippino
> whore:
>
> http://groups.google.com/group/soc.culture.china/msg/ca085dc133ad3cae
>
> Abianchen is a fraud, and above all, she is damn UGLY!
>
> Picture of "abianchen" the Ugly:
>
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/64156901@N00/3415206204/
>
> On Nov 24, 8:16 am, report2009 <repost20...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > If Confucianism were bad, how could the following have happened in
> > China...
>
> > The economic history of China, one of the oldest civilizations in the
> > world, stretches thousands of years. China was the largest economy on
> > earth for most of the past two millennia. [1] [2] The Financial Times
> > stated that "China has been the world's largest economy for 18 of the
> > past 20 centuries", [3] while according to The Economist, "China was
> > not only the largest economy for much of recorded history, but until
> > the end of the 15th century, it also had the highest income per capita--
> > slowed--an event known as the great divergence. In 1820, China
> > accounted for 33% of the world's GDP, but barely a hundred years later
> > China accounted for only 9%. [7]- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
Anti-DabianchenVirus
cut-and-paste - and clean toilets at night.
