再论近代中国农村的人口压力问题

Further Notes on the Population Pressure in the Countryside of Modern China

由于人均耕地面积较少 ,近代中国农村存在着一定的人口压力。然就总体而言 ,当时的粮食生产仍能基本满足全国人口生存的需要。过分夸大近代中国农村人口压力的严重程度 ,认为当时的粮食生产已远远不能养活全国人口 ,农村理论过剩劳动力的比重已达 6 0 %以上 ,是没有说服力的。忽视或过分夸大近代中国农村的人口压力问题 ,都不利于我们全面认识当时农业危机的根源。

In modern China, as the area of farmland per capita was quite limited, population pressure did exist. Yet on the whole the grain production could meet the demand of the population at that time. Thus, it is unconvincing to exaggerate the pressure by claiming the grain production was far from enough to support the whole country on the grounds that in theory the population of the surplus labor force was above 60%. It is argued that neither neglecting nor exaggerating the pressure will be favorable to detecting the root cause of agricultural crisis.