This open access book considers a pivotal era in Chinese history from a global perspective. This book's insight into Chinese and international history offers timely and challenging perspectives on initiatives like Chinese characteristics, The New Silk Road and One Belt, One Road in broad historical context. Global History with Chinese Characteristics analyses the feeble state capacity of Qing China questioning the so-called High Qing (shèng qng ) era's economic prosperity as the political system was set into a power paradox or supremacy dilemma. This is a new thesis introduced by the author demonstrating that interventionist states entail weak governance. Macao and Marseille as a new case study aims to compare Mediterranean and South China markets to provide new insights into both modern eras' rising trade networks, non-official institutions and interventionist impulses of autocratic states such as China's Qing and Spain's Bourbon empires.

This book is open access, which means that you have free and unlimited access Examines the strategic geopolitical sites which fostered commerce, consumption and socioeconomic networks between China and Europe between 1680 and 1800 Considers the twin case studies of Macau connecting with South China, and Marseille in Mediterranean Europe Explores these early bilateral Sino-European trade relations and how they contributed to creating a new type of global consumerism

Autorentext
Manuel Perez-Garcia (PhD.) is tenured associate Professor at the Department of History, School of Humanities, at Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China. Principal Investigator of GECEM Project funded by the ERC (European Research Council)-Starting Grant / Horizon 2020, www.gecem.eu. Founder and director of the Global History Network in China (GHN).

Inhalt
Introduction: The Implementation of the New Global History in China.- The Global History Paradox in China: Sinocentred Approaches along the Silk Road.- The Mandate of Heaven, the Rule of the Emperor: Self-sufficiency of the Middle-Kingdom.- Silver, Rogues, and Trade Networks: Sangleyes and Manila Galleons connecting the Spanish Empire and Qing China.- Conclusions.