Description
Book SynopsisThis open access book considers a pivotal era in Chinese history from a global perspective. This book’s insight into Chinese and international history offers timely and challenging perspectives on initiatives like “Chinese characteristics”, “The New Silk Road” and “One Belt, One Road” in broad historical context. Global History with Chinese Characteristics analyses the feeble state capacity of Qing China questioning the so-called “High Qing” (shèng qīng 盛清) era’s economic prosperity as the political system was set into a “power paradox” or “supremacy dilemma”. This is a new thesis introduced by the author demonstrating that interventionist states entail weak governance. Macao and Marseille as a new case study aims to compare Mediterranean and South China markets to provide new insights into both modern eras’ rising trade networks, non-official institutions and interventionist impulses of autocratic states such as China’s Qing and Spain’s Bourbon empires.
Table of ContentsIntroduction: The Implementation of the New Global History in China.- The “Global History Paradox” in China: Sinocentred Approaches along the Silk Road.- The Mandate of Heaven, the Rule of the Emperor: Self-sufficiency of the Middle-Kingdom.- Silver, Rogues, and Trade Networks: Sangleyes and Manila Galleons connecting the Spanish Empire and Qing China.- Conclusions.
