Compilation of long-term economic statistics and empirical analysis of economic development in South Asia

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K02004
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Area studies
• Research Institution: Hitotsubashi University
• Principal Investigator: KUROSAKI Takashi 一橋大学, 経済研究所, 教授 (90293159)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 長期経済統計 / 南アジア

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The objective of this research project is to compile long-term economics statistics in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh (major South Asian countries) and analyze long-term development process based on the statistics. To achieve this objective, we have first compiled such statistics starting from the early twentieth century, following the System of National Accounts. As the three countries formed one entity of Indian Empire under the British Raj until 1947, we have attempted to compile statistics separately for the three regions corresponding to the current international borders for the period before 1947. This attempt has been achieved only partially due to data availability constraints. Using the statistics thus compiled, we have analyzed the long-term development process, paying due attention to linkages across industrial sectors, interdependence of consumption and production, and regional heterogeneity within South Asia. The compiled statistics are in preparation for public use.

Free Research Field

開発経済学、アジア経済論

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

南アジア地域経済研究者が、国際経済学、歴史人口学、開発経済学などの応用経済学者との共同研究を通じて、南アジアの長期経済発展に関する信頼できる統計を整備し、共同で発展過程を実証的に明らかにした点に、本研究の学術的意義がある。1988年設立の日本南アジア学会において経済史や経済動向の研究に長く携わってきた研究者と、日本の長期経済統計の構築で先駆的役割を果たした一橋大学経済研究所にベースを置く研究者とが協働し、史資料の丁寧な吟味を経た正確な長期統計の構築と、南アジアの歴史や社会の詳細な背景知識に支えられた、適切な実証分析結果の解釈が可能になった。研究成果が広く利用可能になるための刊行準備が進んだ。