Tariffs, Trade, and the Shaping of East Asian Economies in the Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries

Tariffs, Trade and the Shaping of East Asian Economies in the Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries traces the use of tariffs in East Asian history and, through case studies, illustrates that East Asia’s challenging trade environment in the twenty-first century is not a new phenomenon. The editors and contributors explore the history of trade restrictions, regulations, and the connection between fiscal policy, the building of nation states, and the reinforcement of economic imperialism by colonial powers. They examine the responsiveness of local governments and merchant communities impacted by such restrictions and regulations. Chapters in this volume present case studies from countries across East Asia and engage in four themes, namely the formation of tariffs, trade laws and regulations; local and foreign trade interactions within a country and between countries; mobility and commodities circulated between trade ports; and interpretations of tariffs and trade. This volume endeavors to broaden our understanding of the history of tariffs and trade in East Asia. 

Weipin Tsai is a senior lecturer in modern Chinese history in the Department of History at Royal Holloway, University of London. She is the author of The Making of China’s Post Office: Sovereignty, Modernization, and the Connection of a Nation (2024) and Reading Shenbao: Nationalism, Consumerism and Individuality in China 1919–37 (2010).

Donna Brunero is a senior lecturer in the Department of History at National University of Singapore. She is the co-editor of Life in Treaty Port China and Japan (2018) and author of Britain's Imperial Cornerstone in China: The Chinese Maritime Customs Service, 1854–1949 (2006).