quienes no leen la historia, etc (o algo asi)

Podre o no molestar con China, pero creo que en los proximos 10 años comeremos arroz, nos guste o no

para muestra, algo de historia

China in History — From 200 to 2005

By The Globalist

For all the raging debates about China’s future, what about the country’s past as a guidepost? Especially if one looks back further than the past 60 years, amazing perspectives emerge. And then, there are all the historic achievements of China right in our own time — from reducing poverty to achieving stellar economic growth.

How did ancient China view the world? Ancient Chinese claimed to hold a “Mandate of Heaven”, according to which they had a valid claim to preside over everyone else by virtue of their unequivocal political, cultural and moral authority. (University of Southern California) The world's earliest surviving large-scale census was undertaken in China's Han Empire in A.D. 2 — and counted 57,771,400 people.  (Joanna Waley-Cohen, "Sextants of Beijing") For how many centuries did China have the world’s largest economy? China has been the world’s largest economy for 18 of the past 20 centuries. (Financial Times) What else distinguished China? China was not only the largest economy for much of recorded history. Until the 15th century, it also had the highest income per capita — and was the world’s technological leader. (The Economist) What is but one example of China’s technological leadership? Around the year 1000, the Chinese made a series of major technical advances related to their improved knowledge of geography, astronomy, mapmaking and shipbuilding. Among other advances, they invented the compass — which radically improved their ability to navigate. (Franklin Institute) Which effect did that have on world commerce? China became a leading maritime power around the year 1000, when Chinese shipbuilders began to build massive oceangoing junks. These ships were up to 300 feet long, had a capacity of 1,250 tons and were capable of undertaking long-distance voyages. (Joanna Waley-Cohen, "Sextants of Beijing") China was not only the largest economy for much of recorded history. Until the 15th century, it also had the highest income per capita — and was the world’s technological leader. (The Economist) Did the state play a major role in commerce even back then? Customs duties on imports ran at about 10%.The central government maintained monopolies on the most profitable goods, such as ivory, coral, rhinoceros horn and crocodile skins. It banned any private traffic in a number of luxury commodities — and retained an option for preferential purchase of anything imported. (Joanna Waley-Cohen, "Sextants of Beijing") When did China’s economic might reach its high point? China's share of world output peaked in 1820 at about one-third of the global total — a share that had fallen to only 4.5% by 1950. (OECD) What has happened since then? China’s share of world GDP had rebounded to 11.5% by 1998 — well above its 1913 share of 8.9% — largely as a consequence of economic reforms enacted in the 1980s. (OECD) How many Chinese have been lifted out of absolute poverty since 1981? From 1981 to 2001, 422 million Chinese people moved out of absolute poverty. (Columbia University) China became a leading maritime power around the year 1000, when it began to build massive oceangoing junks that were capable of undertaking long-distance voyages.  (Joanna Waley-Cohen, "Sextants of Beijing") How much did an average Chinese plant worker earn a month in 2004? As of 2004, the average Chinese plant worker earns around $80 a month, less than an American on minimum wage makes in two days. (Wall Street Journal) Are China’s economy and export sector expected to continue booming in 2005? In 2005, China is expected to run a trade surplus well in excess of $100 billion — compared to just $32 billion in 2004. (World Bank) And finally, how administratively advanced was China over 2,000 years ago? The world's earliest surviving large-scale census was undertaken in China's Han Empire in A.D. 2 — and counted 57,771,400 people. (Joanna Waley-Cohen, "Sextants of Beijing")