Message from ablackwelder

[Anonymous]

I agree with Matt that one of the most interesting parts of the morning lecture was the brief comparison between the economies of Japan and China from the Qing expansion into the 1800s. Though the largest regime on the planet with 40 million people, China was growing but without the kind of development that Japan experienced. Japan's development, or increase of output per hour of work, led to surpluses in education, infrastructure, and weapons. These advantages led to subsequent victories in the Sino-Japanese and Russo-Japanese wars. The explanation of China's superior growth while dealing with a developmental disadvantage compared to Japan is an important point to make in class when discussing Japan's rise to power in the region.