Wiley-Blackwell The Industrial Revolution in Japan: Vol 7

Product Description A superficial explanation of Japan′s evolution from relative backwardness and isolation before 1868 often describes it in terms of a "late starter" successfully catching up and closing technological gaps with the West. Behind this lies a complex interaction of political, socio–cultural and economic forces. In twenty–one articles, this volume concentrates mainly on the transformation to modern economic growth in the Meiji period. The introduction highlights such controversial issues as the Tokugawa pre–conditions, the place of governments, social costs, technological borrowing and adaptation and the role of demography, dualism, agriculture, surplus labor, scarce capital and foreign trade. From the Back Cover A superficial explanation of Japan′s evolution from relative backwardness and isolation before 1868 often describes it in terms of a "late starter" successfully catching up and closing technological gaps with the West. Behind this lies a complex interaction of political, socio–cultural and economic forces. In twenty–one articles, this volume concentrates mainly on the transformation to modern economic growth in the Meiji period. The introduction highlights such controversial issues as the Tokugawa pre–conditions, the place of governments, social costs, technological borrowing and adaptation and the role of demography, dualism, agriculture, surplus labor, scarce capital and foreign trade. About the Author William J. MacPherson is Professor at Gonville and Caius College, University of Cambridge.