大分流:18世纪中西方经济发展道路的反思

The Great Divergence:Chinese and Western Path of Economic Development in the 18th Century in Retrospection

18世纪以后中国走上了与西方不同的内卷式发展道路,主要原因是中国古代独特的历史地理环境、产权制度、经济政策等多方面因素所致。由于实行中央专制集权体制、实施重农抑商政策、缺乏效率的相关制度安排等,阻碍了民间资本的积累和商品经济的发展。而西方独特的地理环境和自然条件使得他们十分重视商业贸易活动和向外开拓殖民地,其经济政策思想从一开始就表现为以私人经济为本位,以私人家政为核心。政府采取重商政策刺激了社会经济的增长,促进了资本的原始积累和资本主义生产方式的孕育和成长,最终导致以"工业革命"为标志的东西方社会发展的"大分流"。

Unlike the West, China took an involute path of development after the 18th century, mainly due to its unique historical and geographical environment, property rights system and economic policy. Its centralization system, pro-agricultural and anti-commercial policy, and inefficient institutional arrangements hindered the accumulation of private capital and the development of the commodity economy. In contrast, unique geographical environment and natural conditions in the West resulted in its emphasis on commercial activities and external colonization. From the beginning, its economic policy was based on economy and centered on private home economics. Mercantilist policy pursued by the government stimulated social and economic development and promoted the primitive accumulation of capital and the emergence and growth of capitalist mode of production, ultimately causing the ‘ great divergence ＇ in Eastern and Western social development, marked by the ＇ industrial revolution.