RIEB Seminar
RIEB Seminar
RIEB Seminar
Jointly Supported by Center for Computational Social Science of Kobe University / Kobe University Center for Social System Innovation / Rokko Forum
| Date & Time | Tuesday, July 09, 2024, 13:10 - 14:40 |
|---|---|
| Place | Meeting Room at RIEB (Annex, 2nd Floor) |
| Intended Audience | Faculty, Graduate Students, and People with Equivalent Knowledge |
| Langage | English |
| Registration | Registration is required. The seminar details will be sent to the registered emails. Registration Form (Due: July 4) |
13:10 - 14:40
- Topic
- China, Japan and the Rise of the West: Gunpowder, the Military, the State, Modernization and Unification
- Speaker
- Ronald A. EDWARDS (Department of Economics, Tamkang University / Toyo Bunko)
- Abstract
- What caused China and Japan to discontinue their impressive gunpowder weapons innovations, which contributed to the Rise of the West? From the 14th century the West competed with itself and rapidly developed gunpowder weapons. China invented gunpowder and eventually developed explosive bombs and cannon. Japan adopted firearms and in the 16th century developed them rapidly. Part of the answer to how such a large military technological gap could appear between China/Japan and the West has to do with what caused China and Japan to discontinue their development. Here I analyze internal political institutions in proposing part of the answer.