The Impact On The Development Of Science And Technology In Modern China Of Centralism

The new century has been called as the" era of knowledge-based economy". Progress of science and technology is put in the first place of government's development strategies in most countries. However, the development experience of various countries tell us that the science and technology not merely follows its one's own law, but also depends on the development of other factors of society, especially the basic socioeconomic institutions, such as property rights, justice system, etc. In case of lacking basic property rights protection, the science and technology development strategy in a country (or area) can only get half the result with twice the effort. However, the system is the result of history evolution. If we do not understand our history deeply, we cannot make the feasible system arrangement. Those who want to hold the future must understand the past first.Because of some faults in China history study, there are very great mistaken ideas to the understanding of China's ancient socioeconomic conditions in the academia. Therefore has caused other relevant social scientists to draw the somewhat false conclusion in the explanation of the historical phenomenon. It is the same in the study on the reason of modern China's lag-behind in science and technology development. It has important theoretic and substantial significance to study the reason of modern China's lag-behind in science and technology development. First of all, it will contribute to the study on modern science origin theory,deepen the modern science revolution theory. Secondly, it will contribute to the understanding to the interaction of every factor between science and society in scientific sociology. Third, it will help us get an objective and scientific understanding in China's history. Fourth, the result of this research can be used in the contemporary socioeconomic development theory and science policy reference.Existing theories have already pointed out that China's ancient autarkic peasant economy, bureaucracy, physiocracy policy, imperial examination system and Confucian culture have important negative impact on the development of China's modern science and technology. This paper regards centralism as the key factor, and unifies around all above- mentioned negative factors in the modern China's scientific technical development. Besides, combined with historical research and new achievement of the economic theory, I propose that proprietary state, the suppressing policy on polarization of wealth, and the pro－centralism ideology hindered the development of modern science and technology. And I have displayed the relation between them and relatively important degree.I use comparison and contrast, conclusion, and historical prove as research approaches. The largest political difference in ancient times of Chinese and Western --the difference of the centralization degree is a key factor. I have analyzed separately that the impact of centralism onbroad-sense institutions, such as economic policy, bureaucracy, imperial examination system, Confucian culture and ideology, etc. of centralism. And how these systems influence the modern science and technology development.Chapter one introduces the proposition of the question, relevant concept, research meaning and innovation of this text. Chapter two introduces existing explanations of the reasons of modern China's lag-behind in science and technology development. They are culture theory, geographical environment theory and some socioeconomic system theories. And has appraised every theory, fingered out their shortcomings. Chapter three analyzes how centralism influenced the modern science technology development through influencing socioeconomic institutions. Among them through analyzing centralism causing ancient China state own land policy, and poor proprietary protection, have proved that the ancient Chinese society lacks the basic economic incentive system, which is the basic institution modern science technology development established on. I analyze the reason why...