Agricultural development in China, 1368-1968

by Dwight H. Perkins

The first treatise in English to look at long term growth in the Chinese agricultural sector. The author focusses on how farmers were able to feed 25% of the world's population using 7% of its arable land, especially in the face of stagnant technology and recurring wars, by using double cropping, increased labor inputs and fertilizer, and use of mass labor to build irrigation dams and flood control works. Based on official government records as well as local histories and agricultural handbooks, the author provides a fascinating look into centuries of Chinese agricultural history. 396 pages.

Genres: China

395 pages, Hardcover

First published August 31, 2013