"This fascinating book marks an important step forward in our understanding of the diffusion of Western economics in East Asia since the seventeenth century up until modern times. This is not simply a story about the adoption of Western economic doctrines, but about their adaptation to different cultural habitats and political and economic needs and their confluence with domestic economic and philosophical thought. The attention focuses on China, Japan, Korea and Malaysia and the doctrines of Adam Smith, Friedrich List, Karl Marx, John Maynard Keynes, Friedrich August von Hayek and Joseph Schumpeter. Under the guidance of Malcolm Warner a set of leading international experts succeeded in elaborating a remarkably thorough and highly instructive work. Against the background of the stunning economic growth in recent decades of some of the countries covered, the book touches also upon the intriguing question of whether there is a relationship between economic views held by politicians and economic advisers, on the one hand, and the economic performance of nations, on the other. This book is a must for economists, historians of economic thought, economic historians, political scientists and sociologists interested in the transmigration of economic ideas and concepts."
- Heinz D. Kurz, Emeritus Professor of Economics, University of Graz and Graz Schumpeter Centre, Graz, Austria.
"This edited book by Professor Malcolm Warner, a long-time observer of the Asian scene, is a must read for all who seek to understand what, why and how economic principles and concepts that originated in the West have influenced development and growth in select Asian countries, including China and Japan. The chapters shed important insights on why certain principles have been more readily embraced by the Asian countries under consideration and how they are translated into action in these economies."
- Rosalie L. Tung, Ming and Stella Wong Professor of International Business, Simon Fraser University, Canada.
"The story of how economic analysis as developed and practiced in Europe and North America has spread to the rest of the world has not been systematically told. That spread was sometimes gradual with fits and starts and sometimes extremely rapid, but today “Western economics” dominates the curriculum of universities all over the world but particularly in Asia. Economic policy there is largely analyzed and practiced using these tools, not always wisely to be sure. The Diffusion of Western Economics in East Asia is a major step forward in explaining how this diffusion of economic ideas occurred. It is a fascinating piece of intellectual history that has had a profound impact on how East Asian societies operate today."
- Dwight H. Perkins, Harold Hitchings Burbank Professor of Political Economy, Emeritus in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass., USA.
"East Asia comprising China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan etc. has been dubbed the world’s most dynamic economic region, having sustained high growth for over 50 years. Yet surprisingly, the region has no equivalents to such great Western economists as Adam Smith, Karl Marx or John Maynard Keynes, whose ideas and concepts had profoundly influenced many Asian scholars and leaders. Mao Zedong had once said when he died he would be happily going to meet Karl Marx. China’s most distinguished premier, Zhu Rongji, had also likened his “Macroeconomic control” policy to Keynesian demand management.
Clearly, there is no such thing as Eastern Economics vs Western Economics. It is all about how major Western economic thought and theory had been transmitted to the East and how they were embraced in the academic and political circles.
This book edited by Malcolm Warner promises fascinating reading to those who want to follow how many great Western economic ideas have been diffused in East Asian societies under different historical and institutional settings—even more importantly, how they have impacted the modernization and transformation of these societies."
- John Wong, Professorial Fellow and Academic Advisor (formerly Director, Research Director) of the East Asian Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Overall, this book is highly recommended for students of East Asia with research interests relating to history and contemporary studies of policy, and also for historians of ideas. Given the rediscovery of the role of ideas in politics, understanding the intellectual dynamics of economics has become increasingly important for researchers attempting to analyse political change and policy-making, past and present. So, theorists of political science might also enjoy reading the book as a source of empirical data relevant towards testing their general hypotheses.
- Carsten Herrmann-Pillath, Erfurt University, Germany, Asia Pacific Business Review
