A Comparison of Certain Changes in Chinese Agricultural Operations between Buck’s Republican Era and Modern China

Abstract

In this chapter we provide a comparison of certain factors: input levels, agricultural productivity, agricultural operation status, and income sources of farm households of China between Buck’s 1929–1933 survey period and equivalent measures in 2004. We show that the per household cropland area has decreased to about 30%, but land productivity improved by two or three times and agricultural labor productivity by more than three times. Farm size changes are due to land reforms in the post-Republican era, including the post-collective household responsibility system. Productivity increases can be attributed to advances in agricultural technology, in particular, the application of mechanical technology and, more significantly, the application of biochemical technology. In addition, farm households’ income sources have become more diversified.