The Rice Economies: Technology and Development in Asian Societies

The contrast in the rate of growth between Western and Eastern societies since 1800 has caused Asian societies to be characterized as backward and resistant to change, though until 1600 or so certain Asian states were technologically far in advance of Europe. The Rice Economies, drawing on original source materials, examines patterns of technological and social evolution specific to East—Asian wet—rice economies in order to clarfiy some general historical trends in economic development.