ECONOMIC EVOLUTION OF CHINA

Song dynasty “Economic Evolution” and China's current “Economic Miracle”

Song dynasty “Economic Evolution” and China's current “Economic Miracle”

Introduction

Song dynasty

China's Song dynasty (960-1279) was founded by Zhao Kuangyin (temple name Taizu, reigned 960-976) during a mutiny in 960. The Song achievements are so dynamic, and brilliant that some historians claim this dynasty marks the beginning of "modern" China. The Song is divided into two periods. The Song dynasty was founded when Taizu, the palace army commander-in-chief of the Later Zhou dynasty (951-960), one of the dynasties that ruled part of China during the period of disunity between the Tang and Song dynasties, was supported by his rebel troops in claiming the imperial throne. To centralize power in the court, Taizu persuaded his military officers to give up their commands in exchange for honorary titles, sinecure offices, and generous pensions. Meanwhile, he stressed the Confucian spirit of humane administration, and promoted the civil service examination as the most prestigious means of government recruitment (Shaughnessy, 2000). The Song represents an era of dramatic social and economic changes. The economic focus of the dynasty shifted south. For the first time in Chinese history, more people lived in the rice-growing region of the Chang River valley than in other parts of the country. A commercial revolution was a remarkable feature of the Song economic transformation. To a significant extent, the Song developed a market economy. With different regions specializing in the production of various commodities, a nationwide market was formed in China (Kim, 2008). Economic vitality stimulated the process of urbanization. China had numerous cities with over 100,000 people; the populations of several metropolitan areas approached one million. Some economists say the Song era was a time of technological, and economic revolution.

China's Current Economic Scenario

In China's long history, mothers were charged with the responsibility of nurturing, caring, and educating children, as well as looking after such internal affairs as cooking and cleaning. Mothers were subjugated by a male-centered order in an ordinary household, dominated by Confucian patriarchal culture. Their identity was defined by their obedience to their husbands, and sons. Completely dependent on their husbands, both economically and psychologically, mothers still expected to be role models for their offspring (Angle, 2009). Between 1995 and 2003, the successful rate of pregnancy prevention for married women was 90.4-90.5 Percent, dropping to 84.6 percent in 2006. These figures are much higher than the global average of 56 percent, with the level in developed countries at 66 percent. Forty-eight percent of women use intrauterine devices, and 33.9 percent has undergone sterilization. Among males, only 10 percent use condoms, and 5.3 percent have undergone sterilization. This highlights how birth control in China has largely been the responsibility of women. China's education system has guaranteed basic education to the majority of girls during the last half century. The steadily increasing percentage of girls in primary school reflects the declining number of illiterate mothers. In 2005, literacy of Chinese girls aged 15-24 was ...