…from the rest of coastal East Asia when looked at in comparative context:

Today Noah Smith & Brad DeLong talk about China, the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation, Wilhelmine Germany before WWI, & other topics. The key insights are: (1) we need to get Dan Wang on this podcast; (2) in the context of coastal East Asia after WWII, it does not look as though China has any special economic development sauce—it’s just so huge—(3) China’s land-policy slowdown of migration to the coast has made its economic development significantly slower, (4) Barry Eichengreen with his theories of middle-income growth slowdown looks very wise, and (5) hexapodia!

Regional Income Levels in China Today:

The Coast-Interior Divergence:

China Not That Special in Coastal East-Asian Context—Except for Being Very Large Indeed:

If anything, it is distinguished by its late takeoff:

The Three Chinas:

A 50-Million Malaysia, a 300-Million Thailand, and a 1-Billion Vietnam All Mashed Together:

References:

Kathrin Hille: TSMC: How a Taiwanese Chipmaker Became a Linchpin of the Global Economy <https://www.ft.com/content/05206915-fd73-4a3a-92a5-6760ce965bd9>

Barry Naughton: Growing Out of the Plan: Chinese Economic Reform 1978-1993 <https://www.google.com/books/edition/Growing_Out_of_the_Plan/LzzgQP0BX34C>

Noah Smith: China Is Very 20th Century <https://noahpinion.substack.com/p/china-is-very-20th-century>

Noah Smith: China Just Isn’t Very Popular <https://noahpinion.substack.com/p/china-just-isnt-very-popular>

Noah Smith: Invincible Empire?: ‘Can China’s Neighbors Resist Its Overwhelming Power? <https://noahpinion.substack.com/p/invincible-empire>

Joe Studwell: How Asia Works: Success & Failure in the World’s Most Dynamic Region <https://www.google.com/books/edition/How_Asia_Works/dNs33Q1cAX0C>

TSMC: TSMC <https://www.tsmc.com/english>

&:

Vernor Vinge: A Fire Upon the Deep <https://books.google.com/books?id=fCCWWgZ7d6UC>

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