Population, Land, and the Development of the Commodity Economy: Evidence from Qing Dynasty China

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The paper is interesting and relevant. It presents additional insights both from the history and economics perspectives. Although I have serious doubts about the hypotheses tested. 
They appear to test a well known economic postulates. We all know, that the scarcity of resources fueled the development of more sophisticated market-driven mechanisms. So why Qing dynasty China  should be different? (H1). We also now even from the ancient Rome times, that transportation networks facilitate economic modernization/growth. So, why China should be an exemption? (H2). 

Author(s) should better emphasize the scientific novelty of their research, or, at very minimum, prove, that China had some different development constraints and it is worth checking a well known economic postulates in the different context.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The topic of the manuscript is quite interesting, especially for readers interested in the historical conditions of land-use development. The objective of the research is properly formulated. The authors formulated it as an analysis of the mechanisms through which population pressure influences the development of the commodity economy from the perspectives of resource endowment effects and transportation network effects. 

It is recommended to:

- add actual demographic data to Figure 1. "Changes in China's Population (1393-1910)", change the name of this figure to "Changes in China's population (1393-2023)" and highlight the research period (1776–1910) - with a red line, for example;

- add to the manuscript the same chart as in Figure 1, presenting grain price data (as Figure 2);

- add an explanation in the legend at the actual Figure 2, in what units (square meters or hectares?) the data is presented on the maps;

- improve the quality of both maps in Figure 2;

- add to Figure 2 a small map with the actual state boundaries of China and the area of research in this study.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf