The economics of Japanese imperialism in Korea, 1910-1939 1

A by-product of European imperialism has been a large literature on its motivations and consequences. A classic theory among many proposed, the Hobson-Leninist theory, has been particularly influential. ² However, in recent years, alternative theories such as informal imperialism have gained momentum. ³ In the study of Japanese imperialism, Hobson-Leninist views based on Marx’s theory of the class struggle remain a major conceptual framework. ⁴ Thus, many Japanese historians contend that the colonization of Korea (1910-45), the largest formal colony in the Japanese empire, was quite profitable to Japan and contributed substantially to Japan’s economic development. This proposition, however, is not well founded; evidence cited is neither comprehensive nor has it been subjected to any rigorous statistical tests. The non-Marxist camp also lacks substantive arguments, both theoretically and empirically. ⁵ This article attempts to fill this gap in the literature, focusing specifically on the period 1910-39. ⁶ I examine the economic gains and losses from the colonization of Korea and thus throw light on the theory of Japanese imperialism. ⁷