The Chinese Question

The Chinese QuestionDiscover a remarkable exploration into the historical impact of Chinese immigration and its intersection with global capitalism through the book 'The Chinese Question'. This insightful work by renowned historian Mae Ngai unravels the complex narrative surrounding the Chinese diaspora between 1848 and 1899, a time when astonishing gold mining activities reshaped economies and societies across continents. With boundless tales of those who ventured from

Discover a remarkable exploration into the historical impact of Chinese immigration and its intersection with global capitalism through the book 'The Chinese Question'. This insightful work by renowned historian Mae Ngai unravels the complex narrative surrounding the Chinese diaspora between 1848 and 1899, a time when astonishing gold mining activities reshaped economies and societies across continents. With boundless tales of those who ventured from China in search of prosperity, Ngai illustrates the struggles faced by these individuals amidst the rising tensions with white settlers in goldfields in California, Australia, and South Africa. This book doesn’t just recount facts; it delves deep into the dynamic relationships between race, money, and migration, revealing how these elements interplayed to forge communities and introduce the myth of the 'coolie' laborer, a stereotype that perpetuated anti-Chinese sentiment. Not only does 'The Chinese Question' offer a poignant discussion on the laws that ultimately excluded Chinese people from immigration and citizenship, but it also highlights their pivotal role in shaping a burgeoning global economy. This brand new edition, published in 2022 by W W Norton & Company, is essential for historians, economists, and anyone interested in understanding the layers behind immigration policies and their socioeconomic implications. Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.

Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.

Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9781324036104
Year: 2022
Publisher: W W Norton & Company


Description:


In roughly five decades, between 1848 and 1899, more gold was removed from the earth than had been mined in the 3,000 preceding years, bringing untold wealth to individuals and nations. But friction between Chinese and white settlers on the goldfields of California, Australia, and South Africa catalyzed a global battle over "the Chinese Question": would the United States and the British Empire outlaw Chinese immigration?

This distinguished history of the Chinese diaspora and global capitalism chronicles how a feverish alchemy of race and money brought Chinese people to the West and reshaped the nineteenth-century world. Drawing on ten years of research across five continents, prize-winning historian Mae Ngai narrates the story of the thousands of Chinese who left their homeland in pursuit of gold, and how they formed communities and organizations to help navigate their perilous new world. Out of their encounters with whites, and the emigrants' assertion of autonomy and humanity, arose the pernicious western myth of the "coolie" laborer, a racist stereotype used to drive anti-Chinese sentiment.

By the turn of the twentieth century, the United States and the British Empire had answered "the Chinese Question" with laws that excluded Chinese people from immigration and citizenship. Ngai explains how this happened and argues that Chinese exclusion was not extraneous to the emergent global economy but an integral part of it. The Chinese Question masterfully links important themes in world history and economics, from Europe's subjugation of China to the rise of the international gold standard and the invention of raci