城市化与全球化:近代江南农家经济结构的演进

Urbanization and Globalization:The Evolution of the Rural Economic Structure in Jiangnan

“乡村危机”是中国近代史研究最重要的课题之一。其中,廉价机器棉纺织品对农家手工棉纺织业的排挤,往往被视作危机的主要成因,之于明清以来手织业逐渐从“副业”上升为“主业”的江南农家而言,尤为致命。其实,因应城市化迅速发展,近城乡民积极调整种植结构,以城市消费为导向,转向需求极大、收益较高的蔬菜、花卉等产业。被视为区域两大农家副业的织布业和蚕丝业更是借助工业化与全球化之力转型,得以进一步发展;黄草、草席等业则极大地拓展了市场。全球化进程也推动了家庭手工业类型的不断刷新,新兴的花边、摇袜、毛巾等业成了很多地方乡村的支柱产业。城市化与全球化助推了江南农家经济结构的演进,使得乡民在较长时期受益。

“Rural crisis”is one of the most important research subjects in modern Chinese history,of which the exclusion of cheap machine cotton textiles from the rural handmade cotton textile industry is often seen as the main cause.This impact is fatal for farmers in Jiangnan who gradually upgraded their handicraft industry from a“sideline”to a“main”industry before modern times.In fact,in order to adapt to the rapid development of urbanization,villagers near the city actively adjust their planting structure,and turn to grow plants with great demand and high income like vegetables and flowers.The textile and silk industries,regarded as the two major agricultural sidelines in Jiangnan,have further developed through the transformation of industrialization and globalization.Yellow grass and straw mats industries have also greatly expanded the market.The process of globalization has also driven the continuous renewal of household handicraft industries,with emerging industries such as embroidery,sock-weaving,and towel-producing becoming the pillar industries of many rural areas.Urbanization and globalization have driven the evolution of the rural economic structure in Jiangnan,benefiting the villagers for a long period of time.