【摘要】 1815—1846年间英国谷物法的变革是保护贸易制度向自由贸易制度过渡的一个典型案例。本文通过对这段历史史实的重新考察和分析,揭示了收入分配成本相对变动原理,它可以解释国家农产品贸易政策的演变。英国政府在特定的历史背景下,选择谷物法而不是自由贸易下的转移支付来实现粮食安全和社会稳定,并可以节约分配成本。1815—1846年间,英国政治、经济环境的变化使谷物法的分配成本—收益发生改变,边际上的积累最终导致了谷物法的废除。这种渐进的、积累的变革方式,为英国农业的发展提供了一个稳定的制度环境。对这段历史的回顾,具有重要的现实意义:它为探讨在WTO的背景下中国如何实现粮食安全提供了一个新的思路。更多还原

【Abstract】 Britain’s Corn Laws reforms from 1815 to 1846 represent a typical case of institutional transition from protected trade to free trade. Based on a re-interpretation and analysis of this period, we try to cast light on the principle of changes in income distribution costs, which enables us to explain institutional changes in national agricultural trade. Under particular historical circumstances, the Corn Laws provided Britain with an economic means of ensuring sufficient food supply and maintaining social stability because their income distribution costs were low compared with the transfer-payment methods of the government under free trade policies. Changes in the political and economic environment during this time caused comparative changes in distribution cost-return. Marginal changes accumulated and resulted in the abolition of the Corn Laws in 1846. The gradual and accumulated changes enabled Britain’s agriculture to develop in a stable institutional environment. This review of Corn Laws reforms is significant for the Chinese government in that it provides a new approach to ensure the security of food and maintenance of social stability after its entrance into the WTO.更多还原