Nationalism and Economic Modernization of China : The Chinese Masses’ Reorientation to “the Spirit of Capitalism”

Zeying WU*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Journal PublicationsJournal Article (refereed)peer-review

Abstract

Following Max Weber’s emphasis on a fundamental change in ethical values behind the modern capitalistic economy, this paper offers an ideational explanation for China’s economic modernization since 1978. It argues that China’s economic reform, which first and foremost changed the official rhetoric about profit-making, endowed the economic preoccupations of ordinary people with a special dignity. Since then, the Chinese masses have been allowed to proudly connect their personal prosperity with China’s national wealth and international status. This dignifying connection, in turn, led them to invest in sustaining the growth of their personal prosperity and national wealth. In other words, it converted the Chinese masses to economic nationalism that prioritized economic development as the chief means for the achievement of China’s glory. The conversion of the Chinese masses to economic nationalism marked the Chinese society’s reorientation to “the spirit of capitalism,” hence China’s economic modernization.
Original languageEnglish
JournalNationalities Papers
Early online date24 Oct 2024
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 24 Oct 2024

Bibliographical note

This research benefited tremendously from the great help and support from Professors Liah Greenfeld, Min Ye, and Vivien Schmidt, who formed my PhD dissertation committee and have offered me guidance from different perspectives. I am also grateful for the constructive feedback from Professors Lianjiang Li and Chien-peng Chung as well as the deeply engaging external reviewers of Nationalities Papers.

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Association for the Study of Nationalities.

Funding

This work was funded by the Hong Kong Research Grant Council Post-doctoral Fellowship (Fund No.: 131710).

Keywords

  • economic nationalism
  • economic modernization
  • national wealth
  • personal persperity
  • Chinese masses
  • personal prosperity

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