| According to the strategic plan made by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), China's industrialization will be basically accomplished when the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all aspects is attained in the period of strategic opportunities by 2020. The great cause will be passed into world history with glory for the People's Republic of China (PRC), a developing country with a population of more than a billion, to realize industrialization basically in 70 years approximately from her founding in 1949 to the year of 2020.Since the founding of the PRC, especially the introduction of the Reform and Opening-up policy, the industrialization has not only resulted in a prosperous China, but also attracted world attention to it. Many foreign scholars, politicians, and organizations study and discuss from different perspectives the reasons behind China's industrialization success.So, it is much needed for Chinese scholars to do more in-depth research work on the experience and lessons of China's industrialization aiming at maintaining a sober mind of the scenario in 2020 rather than eulogizing somebody or encouraging narcissism, especially on the critical juncture before China would complete its industrialization in the coming decade. And that will be in 2020:China realizes its industrialization basically rather than completely; the realization turns to be a new start point, rather than the finish line. Only a serious and scientific summary on the gains and losses of China's industrialization could guide us go further rationally.On the relation between "contemporary China" and "the China of the past", Mao Zedong pointed out that:"Contemporary China has grown out of the China of the past; we are Marxist in our historical approach and must not lop off our history." Initiated from the Westernization Movement, China's industrialization has experienced three stages before the founding of the PRC, i.e., the stage of the late Qing Dynasty, of the Northern Warlords' Government and of the Nanking National Government. During this period of more than 80 years, China's industrialization has developed with great difficulties and ended up with little achievements. As a result of the process, China was mired, more and more, in the abyss of a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society rather than becoming a prosperous power. Why? A scientific and rational thinking over it is also quite necessary in order to summarize the experience and lessons herein.Learning from history, one can know the rise and fall. After all, by and only by summarizing the past constantly, could people conduct today's business appropriately and create the future fruitfully.In the above-mentioned context, this Dissertation studies the China's industrialization history of the past 150 years in a comparatively systematical manner with economic theories and analysis methods. By theoretical and historical review, this Dissertation analyses the experience and lessons of industrialization, respectively, in the Old China, in the first 30 years since the founding of the PRC, and from the introduction of the Reform and Opening-up policy to date. On the basis of these explorations, this Dissertation puts forward the principles that should be followed in China's industrialization process. From the research perspective, the Dissertation is composed of six chapters as follows:Chapter 1, Introduction, which presents readers with the main purpose and general structure of this Dissertation, and defines some key concepts which goes through the full text. Section 1 points out the industrialization of Latin American countries, of East Asian countries and of China resulted in complete difference at the end of the 20th century, even though all of them belong to the Third World. The two formers were trapped in crisis while the latter scored rapid economic growth. This is one of the important reasons for China to be focused on from abroad, in particular, by the Western countries. And this section further points out that we need to think about calmly and sum up the experience and lessons of industrialization in China nearly 150 years. Section 2 defines and differentiates several confusing concepts. Section 3 states the train of thought, method, framework of the research paper and some innovations achieved with it.Chapter 2, Basic Theory Review, which reviews related literature on the experience of China's industrialization. Firstly, this section describes the dualistic economic growth theory, and analyses the economic growth factors. Secondly, this Chapter introduces the theory of economic growth stage, and points out that the contribution rates of each economic growth factor varies in industrialization stages. According to the development experience of industrialized countries, labor, capital and resources make more contributions to economic development in the early stage of industrialization, while technical progress and human recourses record higher contribution rate to industrialization in the late stage of it. Lastly, by reviewing the theory of economic growth factors, this Chapter points out that for those developing countries struggling for industrialization, institutional innovation is particularly important because the main obstacle to the economic growth is the existing economic system practiced in these countries. These countries must reform their economic system to industrialize rapidly. This kind of reform is featured with the removal of systematic obstacles which hamper the development of various factors so as to achieve economic growth fundamentally.Chapter 3, The Industrialization in the Old China, which mainly researches and analyses the experience and lessons of industrialization in China from 1861 to 1949. Section 1 researches and analyses the process and characteristics of industrialization in the Old China. Firstly, this section analyses the characteristics of industrialization in China in the stage of the late Qing Dynasty in a broad outline, then analyses specifically their respective characteristics of two parts of this period, namely, from 1861 to 1895 and from 1895 to 1911. Secondly, this section analyses the characteristics of industrialization in the stage of the Northern Warlord' Government. Lastly, this section analyses the characteristics of industrialization in the stage of Nanking National Government. Section 2 describes the achievements and level of industrialization in the Old China, and points out that considerable gap still existed between China and western developed countries although certain achievements were obtained in this period. Section 3 summaries the experience and lessons of industrialization in the Old China. As a conclusion, the failure of the Old China's industrialization could be ascribed mainly to the following facts:exclusion of social forces, limitation on private capitals; authoritarian political ruling; isolated industrialization from agricultural development; and the lack of a strong government favoring industrialization. Les sons should be drawn from this period of heartbreaking history.Chapter 4, Industrialization of the People's Republic of China (1949-1978), which discusses the experience and lessons of industrialization in the PRC from 1949 to 1978. Firstly, this chapter analyses China's industrialization process and characteristics from 1949 to 1978. Secondly, this chapter evaluates objectively the achievements of industrialization in China in this period from three aspects:practical results, theoretical achievements and existing errors. Lastly, this chapter summarizes the experience and lessons of industrialization in China of this period, including:(1) Correct policies formulated by the CPC were the subjective prerequisites to which China proceeded with its industrialization. (2) The national spirit was an important resource for industrialization. (3) Adherence to the unification of actual conditions and a comparatively high speed. (4) Proper settlement of the issues of agriculture, of rural areas and of peasants. (5) Adherence to the economic development with industrialization at its core.Chapter 5, China's Industrialization since China's Reform and Opening-up, which summarizes the experience and lessons of industrialization in China after the implementation of the Reform and Opening-up policy. Section 1 analyses the characteristics and process of industrialization in this period. Section 2 describes the accomplishments of industrialization since China's Reform and Opening-up through vertical and horizontal comparisons. Section 3 summarizes the experience and lessons of industrialization from China's Reform and Opening-up to date:(1) A harmonious and stable social environment which encouraged innovations pushed forward China's industrialization. (2) Adjustments of industrial structure and realization of technological improvements led to the sound and fast development of industrialization. (3) Market-oriented reforms and opening-to-outside-world policy made way for industrial growth to function as a powerful engine of economic development. (4) Urbanization promoted industrialization. Section 4 analyses the problems existing in China's industrialization. The achievements of China's industrialization already have been gone down in history, but the problems in the process can not be avoided. The only proper course to take is to face them squarely and solve them thoroughly. Section 5 summarizes the characteristics of China's industrialization since the founding of the PRC: industrialization in a big country, industrialization featuring peaceful development, industrialization by carrying out the Five-Year Plan as the main means.Chapter 6, Conclusion. The chapter summarizes the principles that should be followed in the process of China's industrialization:(1)The principle of the people's national sovereignty. (2) The principle of the people's interests first. (3) The principle of combination of the institutional advantages characterized by concentrating resources to accomplish large undertakings and the mechanism consisted of scientific and democratic policymaking and error-correction.
|
PDF Full Text Request