Routledge Rural Economic Development in Japan History Book

Explore a new perspective on Japan's economic rise with Rural Economic Development in Japan: From the Nineteenth Century to the Pacific War. While traditional historical literature often views rural populations solely as victims of industrialization, this Routledge publication offers an alternative view. It examines the significant role the rural economy played in Japan's emergence as a global economic power leading up to World War II. By applying theories from development studies and economic history, the book details the nineteenth-century growth of a diversified, proto-industrial rural economy. It focuses on the specific strategies used by individual households to secure and improve their livelihoods during this period of rapid change. This text is an essential resource for students and researchers interested in the modern history of Asia and the economic foundations of pre-war Japan.