| My dissertation analyzes changes in the rural economy of China from the ecological perspective. It examines the effect of frequent water calamities upon the rural economy of the Jianghan plain, the central basin of Hubei province, and the resulting changes in peasant behavior throughout the Qing (1644--1911) and the Republican eras (1912--1949). The dike systems in this plain had become an increasing important means to protect farmland from annual floods since the Ming (1368--1644), and more and more lakes were simultaneously being reclaimed as yuan (farmland circled by dikes) under increasing population pressure, which only served to exacerbate the water calamities. The expansion of yuan combined with frequent water calamities constantly changed the local environment, which in turn had a great effect upon the development of the local economy.; The dissertation therefore emphasizes an ecological approach in which the multiple factors of population increase, state policies, community actions, market forces, and peasant choices, interact with the natural environment. I argue that, first, the frequent inundations in the Jianghan plain were due mainly to the weakness of dike management caused by state neglect, as well as poor local coordination. Second, the local peasants made sophisticated responses to an unstable environment, evidenced in extensive dike building, much reliance on fishing, and use of flood-resistant crops. Third, the natural environment played a more important role in shaping peasant economic behavior than market forces. The result demonstrates that society and economy on the Jianghan plain cannot be understood without taking into consideration these interactive ecological relationships. |
