East Asian Histroy Qing Empire

The article “People Patterns: Was the Real America Sichuan?” by Pomeranz and Topik discussed about the popular trend of immigration move that going on among the different places in the world especially happening among Chinese and Europeans between the time period 1500-1800. Although the population flow of Europeans to New World was recognized as the biggest movement for people during the timeline, the author, on the other hand, observed the huge movements to Sichuan, Taiwan and Manchuria by Chinese people at that period of history. One of the main contributors that lead to this phenomenon is because of the government policy. People were sent by the government to “help shore up China’s hold on contested regions” and majority of them were soldiers and their families. While as the region were developed under the government’s support and help, not only did the people’s settlement get much easier but also pave the way for government to announce sovereign rights. However, for the other truly new frontiers such as Taiwan and Manchuria, policy did become the main reason for the movement anymore. The government was focused on protecting the rights, benefit and culture for native people. Overall, the author conclude the main reason of why it was easier for Chinese people to move compared with Europeans, because of the less obstacle of receiving lands and farms and the huge amount of small holders.

I personally really like the angle by the author of seeing the globalization movement from people’s different lives on different places around the world. Looking at the number could be the most physical and straightforward way to define the movements, Even though people choose to move were because of the wars, religion etc, but however, while by comparing how people spend lives in China and New World, ones could actually notice the inner difference and understanding the real motivation of these two parts of globalization.