Chinese Journal of Sociology ›› 2009, Vol. 29 ›› Issue (5): 21-38.

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The Social Basis of Technology Application:A Comparative Study on the Application of the Steam Filature Assembling in Modern China

 ZHANG Mao-Yuan   

  • Online:2009-09-20 Published:2009-09-20

Abstract:

In modern China, the application of the steam filature assembling in the Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta has brought about the specialization in the silk profession of mulberry cultivating, silkworm growing, and filaturefarmers being transformed to workers. The study discovered that, in the Yangtze River Delta, the specialization happened between cities and villages, resulting in interestconflicting structural changes. In the new social structure, the traditional silk areas provided silk cocoons only; thus, the profits of the farmers and the gentries were hurt and their resistance to the application of the steam filature assembling arose. In the Pearl River Delta, the specialization took place in families and villages. The farmers and gentries benefited from the application of the new technology; hence a strong support for it. Therefore, in the Pearl River Delta, the new social structure resulting from the application of the steam filature assembling was an interestsharing one, which in turn accelerated further application of this new technology.

Key words:  interconstruction, interestconflicting change, interestsharing change