西方近代保险思想在中国的传播及中国民族保险业的兴起

The Spreading of the Western Modern Insurance Theories in China and the Development of Chinese National Insurance

人类社会的灾害和意外事故的客观存在是保险产生的前提条件。中国古代实行各种赈济制度 ,但在自然经济占统治地位的条件下 ,以储粮赈济为主要内容的传统保险不可能向近代保险转化。近代保险是资本主义商品经济的产物。 184 0年后 ,中国民族工商业的逐步发展和西方近代保险思想的传播 ,为中国民族保险业的产生、发展提供了社会经济条件和舆论准备。外商在华保险公司 ,利用政治特权、培植买办势力、垄断保险市场 ,攫取巨额利润 ,致使大量白银外流的严峻事实 ,唤醒了中国人民的民族意识 ,华商遂自办保险 ,维护民族利权。从 1865～ 1912年 ,华商经营的保险公司已达 35家 。

The disasters and accidents in human society are the prerequisite for the birth of insurance. In ancient insurance system in China, there were many relieve systems, mainly in the practice of reserving grain to relieve the victims of natural calamity. However, they cannot evolve themselves into the modern insurance system, because the latter is the result of the capitalistic economy. After 1840, with the development of modern national industry and commerce and with the spreading of western modern insurance theories, economic conditions and public opinions helped to create and develop China National Insurance. In old China, the foreign insurance companies made use of the political privilege to raise the compradors, to dominate the insurance market and to gain huge profits. As a consequence, large amount of silver flowed out of China. This awoke the Chinese peoples national consciousness. The Chinese merchants began to set up insurance companies to defend the national right. From 1865 to 1912, the Chinese merchants managed 35 insurance companies. This indicates that the Chinese modern national insurance has risen.