政治的形式与现代化的成败——历史上几个前现代化国家的经验比较

根据制度变迁理论以及由此而形成的有关制度理论,在诺思对有关国家研究的基础上,比较分析了在世界历史的转折时期东方的中国与西方的法国、西班牙和英国的不同的命运。在历史的关键时期,明清之际的资本主义萌芽胎死腹中的直接原因是专制主义宰制的结果;西欧国家的现代化进程也直接取决于该国的政治形式,否则工业革命应该首先发生在客观条件更优越的西班牙而不是英国,英国也难于取胜对法国的争霸战争。比较研究再次验证了制度变迁的历史逻辑:经济增长取决于以产权为核心的制度安排,而产权的背后是政治制度。

The Political Systems and the Success and Failure of Modernization: A Comparative Study of Several Pre-Modernization States

Based on D. North's studies of concerned states,using theories of institutional changes and institutional paradigm that derived from institutional changes,this article comparatively analyzes different fates of China,France,Spain and England at the great turning point of the world history. In the critical juncture of history,the seeds of capitalism in China directly died of political despotism in the period of Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty; the success and failure of modernization in the Western Europe was also determined by political systems in different states,otherwise the Industry Revolution should have first occurred in Spain rather than in England,and England would not have defeated France in the hegemonic wars. This comparative study once again verifies the historical logic of institutional changes that economic growth depends on property centered institutional arrangements,and efficient property depends on political system.