Work

Fenjiashu: Economic development in the Chinese countryside based on household division inventories, ca. 1750–1910

Year: 2021

Type: article

Abstract: Despite the existence of a rich literature on Chinese partial household division, there is still limited evidence of its effect on land and capital accumulation and well‐being. In this study, contrary to the dominant view, we find that household property size peaked around 1800s–1830s, suggesting that equal‐share system did not necessarily lead to land fragmentation. We find evidence that this rise in farm sizes is related to the opposing forces of increased well‐being and increased inequality.

Source: Asia‐Pacific Economic History Review

DOI: 10.1111/aehr.12227

Authors: Meimei Wang, Bas van Leeuwen

Institutions: Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, International Institute of Social History

Language: English

Topic: Historical Economic and Social Studies

Subfield: Economics and Econometrics

Field: Economics, Econometrics and Finance

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: No poverty, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: green

Funder: H2020 European Research Council