Hongjun Zhao, Professor of Economics and Business, Shanghai Normal University, China

'In this book, Professor Zhao provides us ''the China equilibrium'' model, a model of Chinese governance and institutional change in the long run. This model was unique compared to western one and useful for scholars and readers to understand the long run evolution of Chinese economy and governance.'--Weisen Li, Fudan University, China'Cultural norms are usually endogenous responses to survival challenges faced by a society, so some of these norms come and go while other norms stay and accumulate to cause long-lasting impact on later institutions and governance structures. Professor Zhao's work is a good exercise showing us that one cannot fully understand what is happening in China today without going back to the old roots. His contributions to the literature are impressive and invaluable.'--Zhiwu Chen, University of Hong Kong'China's long history offers an incredible possibility of studying how institutions and governance evolve over time. Zhao's book is amazing in the sense it places China's recent economic development in the context of institutional equilibrium.'--Jun Zhang, Fudan University, China

• Contents: 1. Introduction 2. Debate and Comment about the Needham Puzzle Over the Past Half-century 3. The Behavior of the Peasants and their Households: the Logical Starting Point for the Study of the Puzzle in Chinese Economic History 4. The Petty Peasant Economy and the Formation of Chinese-style Governmental Governance 5. The Dynamic Evolution of the Chinese Governance Pattern in Each Dynasty 6. Chinese Climatic and Environmental Changes after the Tenth Century and Their Impacts on the Chinese Governance Pattern 7. The Rise of Western Europe After the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries and Its Challenges to the Chinese Governance Pattern 8. Empirical Evidence of the Chinese Governmental Governance and Long-term Economic Development 9. The Reform and Opening-Up: A Great Transformation of the Governance Pattern in Chinese History 10. Where does the Future Path of Chinese Governance Lie? Index

Hongjun Zhao, Professor of Economics and Business, Shanghai Normal University, China

'In this book, Professor Zhao provides us ''the China equilibrium'' model, a model of Chinese governance and institutional change in the long run. This model was unique compared to western one and useful for scholars and readers to understand the long run evolution of Chinese economy and governance.'--Weisen Li, Fudan University, China'Cultural norms are usually endogenous responses to survival challenges faced by a society, so some of these norms come and go while other norms stay and accumulate to cause long-lasting impact on later institutions and governance structures. Professor Zhao's work is a good exercise showing us that one cannot fully understand what is happening in China today without going back to the old roots. His contributions to the literature are impressive and invaluable.'--Zhiwu Chen, University of Hong Kong'China's long history offers an incredible possibility of studying how institutions and governance evolve over time. Zhao's book is amazing in the sense it places China's recent economic development in the context of institutional equilibrium.'--Jun Zhang, Fudan University, China

• Contents: 1. Introduction 2. Debate and Comment about the Needham Puzzle Over the Past Half-century 3. The Behavior of the Peasants and their Households: the Logical Starting Point for the Study of the Puzzle in Chinese Economic History 4. The Petty Peasant Economy and the Formation of Chinese-style Governmental Governance 5. The Dynamic Evolution of the Chinese Governance Pattern in Each Dynasty 6. Chinese Climatic and Environmental Changes after the Tenth Century and Their Impacts on the Chinese Governance Pattern 7. The Rise of Western Europe After the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries and Its Challenges to the Chinese Governance Pattern 8. Empirical Evidence of the Chinese Governmental Governance and Long-term Economic Development 9. The Reform and Opening-Up: A Great Transformation of the Governance Pattern in Chinese History 10. Where does the Future Path of Chinese Governance Lie? Index

Hongjun Zhao, Professor of Economics and Business, Shanghai Normal University, China

'In this book, Professor Zhao provides us ''the China equilibrium'' model, a model of Chinese governance and institutional change in the long run. This model was unique compared to western one and useful for scholars and readers to understand the long run evolution of Chinese economy and governance.'--Weisen Li, Fudan University, China'Cultural norms are usually endogenous responses to survival challenges faced by a society, so some of these norms come and go while other norms stay and accumulate to cause long-lasting impact on later institutions and governance structures. Professor Zhao's work is a good exercise showing us that one cannot fully understand what is happening in China today without going back to the old roots. His contributions to the literature are impressive and invaluable.'--Zhiwu Chen, University of Hong Kong'China's long history offers an incredible possibility of studying how institutions and governance evolve over time. Zhao's book is amazing in the sense it places China's recent economic development in the context of institutional equilibrium.'--Jun Zhang, Fudan University, China

• Contents: 1. Introduction 2. Debate and Comment about the Needham Puzzle Over the Past Half-century 3. The Behavior of the Peasants and their Households: the Logical Starting Point for the Study of the Puzzle in Chinese Economic History 4. The Petty Peasant Economy and the Formation of Chinese-style Governmental Governance 5. The Dynamic Evolution of the Chinese Governance Pattern in Each Dynasty 6. Chinese Climatic and Environmental Changes after the Tenth Century and Their Impacts on the Chinese Governance Pattern 7. The Rise of Western Europe After the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries and Its Challenges to the Chinese Governance Pattern 8. Empirical Evidence of the Chinese Governmental Governance and Long-term Economic Development 9. The Reform and Opening-Up: A Great Transformation of the Governance Pattern in Chinese History 10. Where does the Future Path of Chinese Governance Lie? Index