China Market: America's Quest for Informal Empire, 1893-1901 [Paperback]

Thomas J. McCormick (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0929587243 | ISBN-13: 978-0929587240 | Publication Date: July 1, 1990

Of all the world’s mercantile lures, none was more persistent or more mesmeric for Americans than the fabled Far Eastern markets. In the 1890s, United States commercial expansion into the Pacific catapulted the nation to the status of a great power. In describing and analyzing American ambitions in China which led to the Open Door negotiations, Mr. McCormick argues that American leaders rationally and pragmatically sought the China market in order to absorb American “overproduction” and achieve domestic stability. The dilemmas that emerged from the nature of American aims and policies were to plague the United States throughout the twentieth century. "A most important volume."—American Historical Review. "Impressive…a significant contribution to ultimate understanding of an important and complex series of events."—Ernest R. May, Political Science Quarterly.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A most important volume. (American Historical Review )

A book which should be read by all. (Choice )

Vigorous, clear-cut, and fully documented...the author consciously tries to avoid a narrow 'pocketbook determinism.' (Journal Of American History )

Impressive...a significant contribution to the ultimate understanding of an important and complex series of events. (Earnest R. May Political Science Quarterly )

About the Author

Thomas J. McCormick is Professor of History at the University of Wisconsin. He is the author of America’s Half-Century and has written extensively on American foreign relations.

Thomas J. McCormick is Professor of History at the University of Wisconsin. He is the author of America’s Half-Century and has written extensively on American foreign relations.

Product Details

• Paperback: 243 pages
• Publisher: Ivan R Dee (July 1, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0929587243
• ISBN-13: 978-0929587240
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,260,198 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #5 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Business & Investing > Economics > International
  • #21 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Business & Investing > Economics > Economic History

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Customer Reviews

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Editor's review is incorrect., April 14, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: China Market: America's Quest for Informal Empire, 1893-1901 (Paperback)

McCormick's excellent book is a history detailing the reasons and methods for the United State's drive towards a fabled China Market. By the 1870's, the elites within the United State's faced by many cycles of boom and bust realized the need to create a buffer against social unrest. Rather than divide the economic pie more equitably the elite's realized it would be in their interests to enlarge the pie, but keep the divisions the same. McCormick's book explains the origins of our export oriented global economy. The building and controlling of the Panama Canal was seen as a key ingrediant to gain advantage over the other Industrialized Nations. First Panama had to be artificially carved out of Columbia. The Spanish American War was seen as alligned Cuba as a Protectorate of the Canal Zone as well as providing refueling stations, via the Phillipines, in the Pacific. A considerable obstacle was getting the Unites State's foot in the door in China. The other European powers all had dreams of controlling the China arket. John Hays game up with Open Door Notes legitimizing United States interests via the veil of comparative advantage. The Open Door notes can be interpreted as the seed that grew into the Wilsonian - Multlateral approach to world trade that has dominated economic theory since the end of the second world war. McCormicks work is a very important history which will help us understand the elite interest's behind foreign policy.