Bankers, Missionaries and Collegiate Business Education in Modern China

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K03857
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Economic history
• Research Institution: Seijo University
• Principal Investigator: HAYASHI Koji 成城大学, 経済学部, 教授 (30612775)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 高等商業教育 / 宣教ミッション / 銀行家 / 経済制度

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The 1920s and 1930s were a golden age of economic development for China. Modern industries such as cotton textiles were established in coastal cities centering on Shanghai, which developed into a major hub of manufacturing. To meet the funding requirements of these emerging industries, industrial finance was developed by modern banks, a stock exchange dealing in securities was founded and a financial market based on real estate transactions was created. In this way, the Chinese economy gradually joined the global economy, while adopting various economic systems from Western Europe.
How were the people who took on the role of connecting China to the world educated? What kind of relationships can be found in the background? In this research project, I argue that the key point to consider is the relationships between "Bankers", christian missions and higher commercial education in China.

Free Research Field

東洋経済史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の学術的意義および社会的意義は以下の通りである。
まず、アメリカ系宣教ミッションと高等商業教育を手がかりとして、近代中国の銀行家がアメリカの影響を受けながら誕生した過程を明らかにする。また、これらの人材養成を、都市部から内陸部へと至る銀行業界の発展過程とアメリカの経済進出との両面から結びつけることで、欧米に端を発する高等商業教育が、中国の内部から伝統的商慣行を変容させていく過程を実証的に解明する。
以上で明らかとなる歴史像は、外的要因が内部に取り込まれ独自の中国的秩序を形成するにいたる過程、ひいては現代中国の経済成長へとつながるダイナミズムを理解するという、今日的意義を兼ね備えるものである。