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Autarky and the Rise and Fall of Piracy in Ming China

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 May 2014

James Kai-sing Kung  and
Chicheng Ma
James Kai-sing Kung
Affiliation:
Yan Ai Foundation Professor of Social Science, and Senior Fellow of the Institute for Advanced Study, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong. E-mail: sojk@ust.hk.
Chicheng Ma
Affiliation:
Assistant Professor, School of Economics, Shandong University, 27 Shanda Nanlu, Jinan, Shandong Province, China. E-mail: macc@sdu.edu.cn.
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Abstract

We examine the impact of rigorous trade suppression during 1550–1567 on the sharp rise of piracy in this period of Ming China. By analyzing a uniquely constructed historical data set, we find that the enforcement of a “sea (trade) ban” policy led to a rise in pirate attacks that was 1.3 times greater among the coastal prefectures more suitable for silk manufactures—our proxy for greater trade potential. Our study illuminates the conflicts in which China subsequently engaged with the Western powers, conflicts that eventually resulted in the forced abandonment of its long upheld autarkic principle.

Type
Articles
Information
The Journal of Economic History , Volume 74 , Issue 2 , June 2014 , pp. 509 - 534
Copyright
Copyright © The Economic History Association 2014 

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Footnotes

We thank the editor, Jean-Laurent Rosenthal, and three anonymous reviewers whose suggestions have helped improve this article substantially. We also thank Ying Bai, Philip Hoffman, Debin Ma, Nathan Nunn, Jeffery Williamson, and seminar participants at various universities for helpful comments and suggestions, and Ting Chen for excellent research assistance. James Kung acknowledges the financial support of the Hong Kong Research Grants Council (GRF642711). We alone are responsible for any remaining errors.

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