The Canadian connections – 2008 Chicago Conference on China’s Economic Transformation

17 July, 2008 Update: More coverage here, here, and here (with audio interviews).

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You may not know this, but in 1969, Ronald Coase and Steven N. S. Cheung attended a fishery economics conference at University of British Columbia, Canada. I always found it “cute” that the attending fishery economics experts were amazed by the sight of a gillnetter. You can read the full original Chinese article “高斯的灯塔” (Coase’s Lighthouse) or sample the enclosed excerpt at the end.

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Here are the Canadian connections at the Chicago conference.

Day 2 Morning Session:

The Role of Non-state Sectors in China’s Economic Transformation

Chair, Janet Landa, Department of Economics, York University

Day 3 – Morning Session:

The Chinese Legal System: Law and Economic Development

Presenter, Pitman Potter, University of British Columbia Law School
“The Chinese legal regime: Adapted to authoritarian rule”

Discussant, Janet Landa, Department of Economics, York University

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Here is an excerpt from Cheung’s 1984 Chinese article “高斯的灯塔” (Coase’s Lighthouse) retelling a 1969 true story,

一九六九年的春天，高斯和我被邀请到加拿大的温哥华大学（UBC）参加一个渔业经济讨论会。除了我们以外，被请的都 是世界知名的渔业经济专家。我被邀请的原因，是我刚发表了《佃农理论》，而船主与被雇用的捕鱼劳力是以「佃农」的形式分帐的。高斯呢？要谈产权问题，少了 他就总是美中不足。

在那时，高斯和我都是渔业的门外汉。赴会前一个月，我到芝加哥大学图书馆借了大约两呎高有关渔业的书籍，做点功课；高斯知我「秘密练功」，就叫女秘书来将我看过的书拿去，也修炼起来。但时间无多，我们只得一知半解就硬着头皮赴会。

会议是在该大学的一间古色古香的小房子举行，仰望雪山，俯视碧海。大家坐下来，寒暄几句，仍未开锣，有一个站在窗旁 的人突然宣布海上有艘网鱼船（Gillnetter），在场的人都一起涌到窗前观看。我和高斯被吓了一跳，内心都在想，渔业专家怎可能没有见过网鱼船！我 们于是对自己学了不久的三招两式信心大增，开会时的讨论，我们就再没有什么顾忌了。

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July 15, 2008 Update: While trying to arrange an interview with Prof. Potter, I was advised by UBC Faculty of Law that Prof. Potter will not be attending the Chicago Conference.