Instructor:

Professor QIU Yuanlun

Department of European Studies, Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences

Phone: +8610-8519 5736

qiuyl@cass.org.cn

Course:

Studies on the Capitalism in the Turning of 20^th/21^st Centuries in Western Europe

Date:

Thursday, 2.00 p.m. – 6.00 p.m.
        (March to June ,2006)

Prerequisites:

Economics and European Modern History

Level:

Ph.D.

Credits:

3

Course Syllabus:

This course is intended to provide Ph. D students with general knowledge of the capitalist development at the end of the 20^th century and at the beginning of 21^st century in the Western European countries, which will help them to be more familiar with the evolution of modern capitalism, embracing many issues which are of great significance to China’s present social transition.

Course Content:

The course is designed as a fundamental introduction to the evolution of the Western European capital system. It focuses on several important aspects of the development of capital system in the Western Europe. The course begins with an introduction of the basic understanding of modern capitalism and is followed by Part Two: the Motive for Studying Western Capitalism, Part Three: the Case Study of Western Europe; Part Four: the Age of Post-Ford Capitalism; Part Five: The Third Road, Part Six: The Theoretical Sources of Post-War Policy-Making in Western Europe and Part Seven: The Impacts Imposed by the Globalization upon Western Europe.

1.    Introduction (week 1)

            Evolution, Nature, Impact and Characteristics of Capitalism in the modern Western European

2.      The Motive for Studying Western Capitalism: To Improve the Not-Yet-Completed Chinese Pattern (Chinese Model) (week 2)

2.1 Raising the Question

2.2 Three Priorities for Reforming the  Uncompleted Chinese Pattern (Chinese Model)

3.    National States and Capitalism: the Case Study of Western Europe (week 3)

3.1Two Columns for Modern European Historical Framework Since 1500: National States and Capitalism

3.2 National States Promoted the Development  of Western Capitalism

3.3 In the Globalisation Background: what to do for Western European States?

4. The Age of Post-Ford Capitalism for Western European Society: How to Adjust to the New Era? (Week 4)

4.1 The Implications of Ford and Post-Ford Capitalism

4.2 The Ups and Downs of Ford Capitalism in Western Europe after the Second World War

4.3 The Era of Post-Ford Capitalism

5. The Third Road: Between the Old-Leftists and the Neo-Rightists (week 5)

5.1 Why Is This Topic So Important: Four Reasons

5.2 The Ever-Aggravating Socio-Economic Problems in Europe

5.3 The Concept of New Third Road in Europe

6. The Theoretical Sources of European State Economic Policies after the Second World War: List, Marx, Keynesian, Hayek.(Week 6-7)

6.1 Typical Viewpoints of the influential thinkers in Germany

6.2 Thoughts Sources from Other Countries

6.3 Main Controversies

7. The Impacts that Globalisation upon European Economy: in terms of trade, finance and banking, investment and enterprises. (week 8)

7.1 The Financial Globalisation

7.2 The Global Trade

7.3 The Globalisation and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)

7.4 The Enterprise Reorganisation in Europe

Methods of Assessment:

1.                  Class attendance and oral contribution (including participation in group discussion and a presentation of selected topic in the last session of the course)    30%

2.                  Research essay (7000 chinese words)              70%      

Reading List:

·             David Holde, Global Dramatic Changes,  Social Sciences Literature Press, Pekin,, 2001

·             Robin Cohenn, Global Sociology, Social Sciences Literature Press, Pekin, 2001

·             Paul Hoster, Question Globalisation, Social Sciences Literature Press, Pekin, 2002

·             David Kurts, The Patterns of Capitalism, Jiangsu People’s Press, 2002

·             Robert Albritein, The Evolution of Capitalism,

·             Zhang Shipeng, The Studies on the 20^th Century-end Capitalism, Pekin University Press, Beijing, 2004.

·             David Carlaio,  The Future of Europe, Tsinhua University Press, 2005