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Kent Deng

Kent Deng

Professor of Economic History, London School of Economics

Kent Deng is Professor of Economic History at the London School of Economics.

He has written about the economic history of pre-modern and early modern China. He has published in English and Mandarin.

Professor Deng has taught courses on the Economic Development in East and Southeast Asia Since the 10th Century, China’s Economy and its Growth in the Long-Term, and Comparative Economic Development: Late Industrialisation in Russia, India and Japan.

Doctoral Dissertation: Role of the Literati and Technical Books in Long-term Agricultural Development in Pre-modern Times: the Chinese Case.

Doctoral Advisor: Eric L. Jones.

Courses Taught: China’s Economy and its Growth in the Long-Term; Markets and States in Developing Economies since c. 1880; Economic Development in East and Southeast Asia since the 17th Century; Pre-modern Paths of Growth: East and West Compared, 1000–1800; Rebalancing the Global Economy: China, Europe and Latin America in long-run comparative perspective; Global Divergence: Growth in Europe, Latin America and East Asia Compared; Shipping and Sea Power in Asian Waters and beyond, c. 1600–1900; Comparative Economic Development: Late Industrialisation in Russia, India and Japan.

Education
PhD, School of Economics and Commerce, La Trobe University
Topics
Economic History · The Rise of the Literati in the Economic Life of Pre-Modern China · The Maritime Economic History of Pre-Modern China · The Economic Role of the Chinese Peasantry · The Developmental Deadlock of the Chinese Premodern Economy · Long-term Demography of Premodern China · Early Modern Railway Development in China · Chinese Fiscal State and its Impact on the Economy

Books1

  • With Dr. Yazhuo ZHENG, State Failure and Distorted Urbanisation in Post-Mao's China, 1993–2012. Pp. 182, London: Palgrave Macmillan Press.With Dr. Yazhuo ZHENG, State Failure and Distorted Urbanisation in Post-Mao's China, 1993–2012. Pp. 182, London: Palgrave Macmillan Press.2012

Talks & video2

Selected publications11

  1. 2019Kent Deng, Jim Shen and Sarah Tang, ‘Re-evaluating the ‘Smile Curve’ in Relation to Outsourcing Industrialization’, Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, 57/5 (2021), pp. 1247-1270 (Formally accepted on 20 November 2019, available vide: https://doi.org/10.1080/1540496X.2019.1694505) [1540496X]
  2. 2019Kent Deng and Shengmin Su, ‘China’s Extraordinary Population Expansion and Its Determinants during the Qing Period, 1644-1911’, Population Review 58/1 (2019), pp. 20-78.
  3. 2019‘Economic History of Ming-Qing and Modern China’, in Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Economics and Finance, 2019,Editor: Andrew Marzoni, Oxford University Press.
  4. 2017Kent Deng and Luca Zan, ‘Micro Foundations in the Great Divergence Debate: Opening up the Perspective’, Accounting History, 22/4 (2017), pp. 530–53.
  5. 2017Kent Deng and Jun DU, ‘To Get the Prices Right for Food: The State versus the Market in Reforming China, 1979–2006’, European Review of Economic History 21/3 (2017), pp. 302–25 (formally accepted on 31/03/2017; online: 10.1093/ereh/hex005).
  6. 2017Kent Deng and Patrick O’Brien, ‘Why Maddison Was Wrong’, World Economics Journal, 18/2 (2017), pp. 21–41.
  7. 2017Kent Deng and Anne Booth, ‘Japanese Colonialism in Comparative Perspective’, The Journal of World History, 28/1 (2017), pp. 61–98.
  8. 1960With Anne Booth, ‘Fiscal Development in Taiwan, Korea and Manchuria: Was Japanese Colonialism Different?’, in Fiscal Capacity and Colonial State in Asia and Africa, c. 1850-1960, ch. 5 (pp. 137-160). Editors: Ewout Frankema and Anne Booth, Cambridge University Press
  9. 1900‘The Evolution of China’s Political Economy of the Sea, 960-1900’, in Cambridge History of the Pacific Ocean, Editors: Ryan T. Jones and Matt K. Matsuda, Cambridge University Press
  10. ‘One-Off Capitalism in Song China, 960-1279 AD’, in Capitalisms: Towards A Global History, Editors: Kaveh Yazdani and Dilip Menon, Oxford University Press
  11. With Patrick O’Brien, ‘The Tyranny of Numbers: Are There Acceptable Data for Nominal and Real Wages for Pre-modern China?’, in Seven Centuries of Unreal Wages, ch. 3 (pp. 71–94), Editors: John Hatcher and Judy Z. Stephenson, Palgrave MacMillan Press

Positions & affiliations3

  • London School of Economics (1995-Present)
  • Victoria University of Wellington (1993 - 1996)
  • Flinders University of South Australia (1991-1993)

Credentials & fellowships9

  • 2015-: Editor of Economic History Series, Palgrave Macmillan Press
  • 2013-: Member of Advisory Council, Pacific Economic Review (HK, Blackwell)
  • 2009-: Member of Review Panel, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
  • 2009-: Referee, Journal of Institutional Economics (UK, Cambridge)
  • 2008-12: Executive Editor, Journal of China in Comparative Perspective (JCCP, UK)
  • 2007-: Review Panel Member of the Research Grants Council, Hong Kong
  • 2007-9: Guest Editor, Journal of History of Technology (UK)
  • 2006-: Member (Economic History) of Editorial Board, Pacific Economic Review (HK, Blackwell)
  • 2005-: Member of Review Panel, ESRC (British Social Sciences Research Council)