Millet, Rice, and Isolation: Origins and Persistence of the World's Most Enduring Mega-State

James Kung (), Ömer Özak, Louis Putterman and Shuang Shi ()
Additional contact information
James Kung: The University of Hong Kong
Shuang Shi: The University of Hong Kong

No 2016, Departmental Working Papers from Southern Methodist University, Department of Economics

Abstract: We propose and empirically test a theory for the endogenous formation and persistence of large states, using China as an example. We suggest that the relative timing of the emergence of agricultural societies and their distance to each other set off a race between autochthonous state-building projects and the expansion of neighboring (proto-)states. Using a novel dataset on the Chinese state's historical presence, the timing of agricultural adoption, social complexity, climate, and geography across 1x1 degree grid cells in East Asia, we provide empirical support for this hypothesis. Specifically, we find that on average, cells that adopted agriculture earlier or were close to the earliest archaic state in East Asia (Erlitou) remained longer under Sinitic control. In contrast, earlier adoption of agriculture decreased the persistent control of the Chinese state in cells farther than 2.8 weeks of travel from Erlitou.

Keywords: Comparative Development; State-Building; Emergence of States; Agricultural Adoption; Isolation; Neolithic Revolution; Social Complexity; East Asia; China; Erlitou (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F50 F59 H70 H79 N90 O10 R10 Z10 Z13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020-12
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-agr, nep-cna, nep-evo and nep-his
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Millet, Rice, and Isolation: Origins and Persistence of the World's Most Enduring Mega-State (2022)
Working Paper: Millet, Rice, and Isolation: Origins and Persistence of the World's Most Enduring Mega-State (2022)
Working Paper: Millet, Rice, and Isolation: Origins and Persistence of the World's Most Enduring Mega-State (2022)
Working Paper: Millet, Rice, and Isolation: Origins and Persistence of the World's Most Enduring Mega-State (2022)
Working Paper: Millet, Rice, and Isolation: Origins and Persistence of the World's Most Enduring Mega-State (2022)
Working Paper: Millet, Rice, and Isolation: Origins and Persistence of the World's Most Enduring Mega-State (2020)
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