Commerce and Capitalism

This informative book discusses the effects of the rise of Chinese capitalism on both China itself, and on its neighbours. Incorporating empirical data collated from interviews in several Asian societies and from historical Chinese sources, this renowned author analyzes, discusses and applies an institutional approach derived from the writings of Max Weber to explore the various aspects of Chinese economic practice.

Consisting of sixteen articles that come together to provide historical, comparative and theoretically informed perspectives on the spread of Chinese capitalism, this collection emphasizes the difference between Western and Chinese forms of capitalism. Including sections on China's pre-industrial economy as well as the growth of modern Chinese capitalism, this collection will be a valuable resource for students of Asian and Chinese studies as well as those concerned with the economics of Chinese societies.

Introduction: Rethinking the Economic Sociology of East Asian Capitalism Part 1: China's Pre-Industrial Economy in Comparative Perspective 1. Civilizations and the Organization of Economies 2. Why No Capitalism in China: Negative Questions in Comparative Historical Sociology 3. Chinese Consumption of Foreign Commodities 4. Commerce and the Organization of China's Late Imperial Economy Part 2: Chinese Capitalism in Asia 5. Hong Kong and the Rise of Capitalism in Asia 6. A Reassessment of the "Asian Miracle": U.S. Retailers and Asian Manufacturers 7. Reflexive Manufacturing: Taiwan's Integration in the Global Economy 8. Asian Business Networks in Transition, or What Alan Greenspan Does Not Know about the Asian Financial Crisis 9. Reciprocity and Control: The Organization of Chinese Family-Owned Conglomerates 10. Competition and Organization: A Reexamination of Chinese Business Practices 11. Ethnicity and Capitalist Development: The Changing Role of the Chinese in Thailand