同一個世界、同一個理論？探索經濟史的理論

One World, One Theory? An Exploration into the Theory of Economic History

10.30087/APEMR.200809.0003

劉瑞華

經濟史 ； 制度 ； 新制度學派 ； Economic History ； Institution ； New Institutionalism

亞太經濟管理評論

12卷1期（2008 / 09 / 01）

37 - 48

繁體中文

從新經濟史革命以來，經濟史研究不可缺少經濟理論作為分析的基礎。不過，雖然新經濟史的發展對於西方歷史的研究有了顯著的成績，但是對於其他世界還未呈現同樣的收穫。長久以來中國歷史已經有豐富的史學傳統與既有知識，而歷史理論幾乎都源自於西方的歷史經驗，是否可以透過從西方歷史發展出來的理論解釋中國歷史，應該是個難題。然而，從馬克思理論以降，歷史學界，尤其是經濟史學界，仍以尋求單一理論為目標，新經濟史革命更加深學者們的此一信心。不過，面對西方世界的成長歷史與中國歷史的差異，建構單一理論的企圖必須包含相當的彈性，本文呼應侯家駒教授的看法，認為制度因素的考慮將是可以兼顧不同世界差異性的關鍵。本文將回顧解釋人類經濟成長歷史的經濟理論，並且討論處理制度因素應有的考慮，以利於應用於不同世界的歷史發展階段。

Since the Cliometric revolution, theory has been a necessary part of a study of economic history. Nevertheless, although new economic history has great influence on the study of western economic history, it did not produce the same fruitful results in the histories of other worlds. Chinese history has a long academic tradition and accumulated solid knowledge foundation, yet theories for history are almost all originated from the western world. Will the theories generated from western history be applicable to Chinese history? It is not an easy question. However, in the field of economic history, including new economic history, scholars are in general pursuing an unique theory However, even if this attempt is possible, there should be enough flexibility to accommodate the variety of different histories. This paper echoes with professor Hou (2005) about the idea of incorporating institutional diversity into the theory of economic history, and explores the recent development of institutional analysis.

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