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This paper examines the growth of the British commercial communities in the Straits Settlements in the first half of the nineteenth century. It describes how they emerged as a coherent commercial and political interest group, separate from the Indian empire, with their own network of allies and commercial partners in Britain. As such, the Straits merchants emerged as a significant political lobby in their own right. It contends that in the process, they revived earlier notions of Southeast Asia as a discrete geographical region, in which political and ethnic diversity was bridged by the flourishing of maritime commercial networks. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper analyses the trajectories of handicraft cloth production in three major sub-regions of Jiangsu Province in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In contrast to traditional focus on the bankruptcy of rural handicrafts in the face of competition from the modern industry, it argues that the fate of handicrafts depended on the specific characteristics of each sub-regional economy. Thus in Song-Tai, handicraft weaving declined as labour was drawn off into modern industry. In Tong-Hai the availability of machine-spun yarn in the market enabled the development of a commercialised handicraft weaving sector. Finally, in Xu-Huai-Hai machine-spun yarn enabled the inhabitants to substitute their own subsistence handicraft production for cloth purchased from elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the shifts in trading patterns that followed the emergence of political units in north-west Borneo, and on trading patterns between late 19th century, when European intervention began, and 1930, when trading patterns were disrupted by global economic depression. Creation of Sarawak due to result of dismemberment of Brunei in late 19th century; Three territories that became British Protectorates in 1888; Details of shifts in Borneo economy.

J. S. Furnivall, in his influential account of the impact of British rule in Burma 1824–1948, argues that British officials laid down a Liberal administration that exposed the colony to market forces, monetized the economy and devastated communities. However, there is little evidence that British administrators actually thought in Liberal terms: they relied heavily on institutions inherited from the Burmese monarchy, and when they introduced new administrative methods these were drawn from other parts of British India and only indirectly influenced by Liberalism. Furnivall's view of the ideological origins of British administration, in turn, distorts his reading of the impact of British rule, as illustrated by recent work on the pre-colonial economy showing that it was in fact more monetized and commercialized than he claims. If his account of the pre-modern economy is not viable, Furnivall's claims about the impact of British colonialism in Burma demand re-evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article discusses the place in which the indigenous state, the Nizamat, played in the economy of Bengal, India, during the 18th century. Direct and indirect ways in with the Nizamat were involved with Bengal are discussed, such as being involved with trade and the public policies regarding the economy. The way in which the ruling class was portrayed in the literature of the day as being very prosperous is mentioned. The economic conditions that Bengal experienced during the 18th century are discussed.

The article discusses the economic history of Manchuria during the Great Depression in China between 1929 to 1936. It presents four arguments based on its GDP between 1924 to 1937, including its use of silver currency to protect the Manchurian economy from global downturn, the impact of Depressions in the soybean trade, the decline in output levels such as in agriculture due to climate and military disasters, and the Keynesian policies that led to the rapid growth of its modern sector and the recovery of its economy.

Focuses on the history of links between people from the Pearl River Delta with the countries of South-East Asia and the Pacific. Examination of the role and contribution of Hong Kong to the Pearl River Delta links over the period 1842 to 1942; Impact of Pearl River Delta on Hong Kong's history; Brief overview of the nature, historical background and examples of the links that developed between the Pearl River Delta counties and various overseas destinations.

Examines the impact of the 1930 Great Depression on Southwest China. Drop in the demand of silk in the United States and the world market; Reduction in employment brought by the fall in prices; Decrease in the prices of rice between 1931 and 1933; Factors contributing to the Chinese economic performance; Regions affected by the economic depression.

Focuses on the economic change in Sarawak during the period 1841 to 1941. Review of the `Brooke's approach' to development; Description of the geographic setting; Discussion of the political and economic framework; Monopoly of the mineral industry by James Brooke; Effects of the shift to commercial farming; Fulfilling the growing labor needs with migrant laborers; Impact of poor transportation and communications.

Examines three aspects of transport development in Sabah. Focus on river, road and rail as transport agencies; Role of transport in contributing to the emergence of an export-oriented economy; Impact of land transport on the local economy and society.