The Ever Normal Granary, A Chinese Idea In The American Systems

APh.D. DISSERTATION submitted to the Shanghai University of Finance & Economics Department of Economics.The dissertation begins with an Introduction, in which this author indicates Mr. Wallace incorporated the Chinese economic thought in the New Deal farm policies. The relationship between Wallace and the Chinese idea was determined. Since there is a large involvement in a great array of literature, a preview is necessary before a wide and deep research begins; thus the author lists and analyses the basic literature for further studies herewith. The evolution of the thought of Henry A. Wallace's mind is outlined in this section. Other relative issues are also the author's work in this part.In Henry Agard Wallace and the modem Ever Normal Granary, F. C. Li details Henry A. Wallace, his lather, and grandfather's significance in the American agriculture. Influenced by the Chinese economic thought, Wallace established the ever normal granary in the U.S. His idea of the ever normal granary appeared after reading The economic principles of Confucius and his school, 1911 by Chen Huanzhang(Chen Huan-chang),the former Secretary of the Grand Secretariat in the Qing Dynasty, later Ph.D. of Columbia University, who for the first time in history studied the Chinese economic thought, mainly Confucius, and their modern applicability in the dealing with almost all of the Chinese problems; the other Fanners of the forty centuries, 1911 by Dr. Franklin Hira King from Madison-Wisconsin University, who published this interesting agricultural tour sketch in China by him in the first half in 1909. The above two books of China agriculture founded his conception of not only intimate relationship between soil and man,and thousands of yearslong history of permanent agriculture in China, but American was able to learn from China many experiences and government administration in the agriculture. Facing the serious difficulties in the depression in American farm, he thought the ever normal granary system operated in China for thousands of years might be used in the win of the American farm problem. Accordingly, Mr. Wallace in his agricultural New Deal, applied an ever normal granary plan whose true spirit was the one executed by Wang Anshi, the devoted premier, in 1068 in the North Song Dynasty.Wallace published many books, newspaper editorials, speeches, scientific papers during his life, as a farmer, a journalist, as an economist, and a statesman. In Chapterâ…¡,An overview of the economic thought of Henry A Wallace, F. C. Li selects from his works, for further research, and summarizes his idea of the ever normal granary keeping his main idea in the second and third decade of the past century.Geng Shouchang's advise started the establishment of the Ever Normal Granary system in China in 54 BC. This we generally take as the beginning of the public operation of this very system in the world. However, the idea of the ever normal granary prevailed long before becoming a system, which can be found such historical records as OfficialSystems of Zhou etc.. Fan Li in the Spring & Autumn China, and Li Kui in the Warring States nation, Wei, and Guanzi, the famous classical book of China, all of which reflected such an idea or recorded its operation in China. But no Western precedence was found. In the New Deal era, for the first time, Mr. Wallace advised FDR to establish such a system in America, so to deal with the crop surplus and the price fluctuation by weather. Harsh debates were held concerning Mr. Wallace's idea. The debates bypassed into two categories of peoples with Mr. Wallace, Dr. Bean, and Ezekiel on the supporter's side, and Prof. Boyle, and Prof. Davis the opposite. Prof. Graham also favored the idea of what Mr. Wallace raised, however raised another plan "modem ever normal granary" system. This debate influenced American audience, and won the support of many American people for the Ever Normal Granary system. Through this detailed study we can find that the system which Secretary WaBace wanted to set is inriately the ancient Chinese ever normal granary system, their theory and purpose were almost flie same. This is the main content in Chapter III.The institutional background of the Ever Normal Granary: American agriculture h the Great Depression shows a background of American eccHiomchisto^This author declares that the many advises for policy in the New Deal were not vital for the win of the Great Depression, esp. taking President Hoover1 rugged individualism as the philosophical basis.The AAAs and the ever normal granary, outlines the main acts executed during the 1930s, with the 1938AAA the last which fabricated Wallace's ever normal granary idea. This chapter indicates that the 1933AAA and the 1936 Soil Conservation and Domestic Act in the 5 years execution made a good progress in dealing with the American farm problem, and set the foundation for the 1938AAA. When most American people could adopt the concept of government playing an unprecedented role in its politics and economy, the American people at last adopted the 1938 AAA. The 1938 AM at every side relates with Wallace's idea of the ever normal granary, with which as the very basis of the modern American farm policies, and the ever normal granary system as the key policy to be set was well adopted in this Act. Therefore the ancient Chinese long forgotten ever normal granary was revived and entered the American mainstream.Conclusions include: the ancient Chinese economic ttought has greatyinfluerc^ in the world, and rls reasonable fragments worth studying even in the modem time. T)ieNewDealpradk?intreArrieriranfarmrefomiriassdagood example for us to releam what was used to being said that "Guweijinyong, yangweizhongyong"( team from the classical for the modem use, and team from the West for Chinese application). Secondly, this author endeavors to show that the New Deal farm policies at most teamed from the Chinese philosophy. This is realty something we should be proud of, because it showed that the Chinese also have contributed much to the treasure of the wcfWeconomfc thought stocks, and the absurdity some westerners spread that the Oriental economic thought is worthless is completely wrong. Lastly, this author in the study, for the first time, researched the origin of Henry A. Wallace's farm thought, contoured the development of the New Deal farm policies, and indicates that it is the idea of the ever normal granary torn ancient China stock of thought which desperately founded to defeat the feirm depression in the igsffs, and on which the American system of modem ferm law has been built.