美洲作物与人口增长——兼论“美洲作物决定论”的来龙去脉

American Crops and Population Growth:A Retrospective of“Determinism by American Crops”

一般认为,美洲作物对于人口增长有巨大作用。其实人口增长的逻辑因素是极其复杂的。清代最重要的技术革新是一岁数收和土地改造,美洲作物推广作为技术革新之一,是由人口增长决定,不宜倒因为果。实际上美洲作物价值凸显的时间在19世纪中期之后,且主要在山区缓解人口压力。传统社会美洲作物影响受限的原因在于并没有想象中的那么高产,即使略有优势也难以打破原有的种植制度,在“钱粮二色”的赋税体系下到底只是糊口作物,是农业商品化粮食不足的补充。美洲作物能够成为“第一等的题目”肇始于何炳棣先生,但“美洲作物决定论”却系后人夸大,其中有着被形塑的二十世纪心理认同和“以今推古”的深层次原因。

It is generally believed that the American crops play an important role in population growth.In fact,the logic factor of population growth is extremely complex.The most important technical innovation is multiple cropping and land reform,as one of technical innovation American crops are determined by the population growth,can not reverse cause and effect.In fact,the value of American crops highlighted in the middle of the 19th Century,and largely alleviated population pressure in the mountains.The reason why American crops are limited in traditional societies is that they are not as productive as think,even a slight advantage which is difficult to break the original cropping system.In the“Money and Grain”tax system what is only subsistence crops and supplement to the shortage of agricultural commodities.America crops can become the first topic and the“determinism by American crops”thanks to Mr.Ping-ti Ho,but also has been shaped by the psychological identification of 20h Century,“guess yesterday from today”and“Western model”such deep-seated reasons.