The Comparison between American Westward Movement and China Western Development一．Similarities1. Direction: The development from its coast areas to the inland.2. The vast expanse of the western region is rich in mineral resources, water resources and forest resources. To take advantage of the rich natural resources in western regions and their market potential, fully open up the domestic market.3. The advanced way of production and culture were brought to the west. Both have great influence on the west regions.二．Differences1. Definition(1)American Westward Movement is a long and sustained process of development. It began after the founding of the United States. At first, the immigration moved across the Appalachian Mountains into the east of the Mississippi River region. From the 1820s, immigrants started moving across the Mississippi River into the new expansion.Back in the United States prior to independence, the Americans began to expand to the western North American continent, but until the United States after independence, the United States westward movement was more active and planned, and continues to the present.(2)China Western Development is a policy adopted by the People's Republic of China to boost its less developed western regions. The policy covers 6 provinces, 5 autonomous regions, and 1 municipality.The main components of the strategy include the development of infrastructure (transport, hydropower plants, energy, and telecommunications), enticement of foreign investment, increased efforts on ecological protection (such as reforestation), promotion of education, and retention of talent flowing to richer provinces.2. Background(1) American Westward Movement: As early as colonial period, the immigration activity to the west began. Slave owners in the south, land speculators and industrial capitalist in the north, and common people hope to get the land in the west. After the War of 1812, America experienced a period of both economic and physical expansion. As population increased, more and more people needed new opportunities in the west.(2)China Western Development: Since 1978, under Deng Xiaoping's Reform and Open-up policy, China has been developing rather rapidly by most standards, particularly its eastern, coastal regions. The western region, however, has been left behind with widening disparities between the east and west with regard to such conditions as education, economy, infrastructure, and social development.3. Main Purpose(1)American Westward Movement:It aimed to get resources and develop its capitalist economy.(2)China Western Development：To develop its socialist economy.The Chinesegovernment has chosen to vigorously pursue the economic development of its western provinces. It seeks to raise the standard of living of people in its west, to bring about more interaction between west and east, and at the same time to raise the level of development of the entire country.4. Way of development(1)American Westward Movement: Westward Movement is the process of pioneering the American people. To face various difficulties and obstacles, the United States abandoned the people of all stereotypes, overcome difficulties and forge ahead, thereby fostering the formation of the American nation reality, optimism and courage of the national character, which is an inexhaustible wealth of a life time. Americans forced people to migrate and slaughter the Indians. It has the nature of the invasion. It is full of force and bloody economic expansion.(2)China Western Development：The government intensifies propaganda and carries out many preferential policies and supports. Therefore, people in the country are voluntary to make contributions to the development of the west.5. Effects(1)American Westward Movement: T o some extent, it promoted America’s economic development and increased the national strength of the United States. However, it sharpened conflicts, and rendered the emergence of the Civil War.For the American Westward Movement, which is in a free market economy and the territorial expansion against the backdrop of large-scale population movements as the basis for the pilot transport, industry, agriculture and animal husbandry as the main point, in order to promote regional development in growth centers socio-economic development process. The results of the American West, complete the east and west between U.S. political and economic integration, promoting the development of capitalist industrialization, modern agriculture led to the American Revolution, the industrial revolution and the knowledge revolution, foster the pioneering spirit of the American people, especially the United States in the western development embodied in the esteem, fear no sacrifice, high-spirited, constantly finding new lands, new wealth of the cowboy spirit of the frontier spirit, the Americans became indomitable, heroic optimism, courage, to explore more than the spirit of the entire nation. In short, the United States through the Westward Movement, in the hundred millions of years in the development of square kilometers of land. And established in these lands of modern agriculture, animal husbandry, industry, and this growth is the U.S. number one economic power in the world had a decisive impact. So, no westward movement, there is no United States today.(2)China Western Development：The results show that great achievements have been made in infrastructure construction and ecological improvement. The west regions enjoy a fast economic growth rate, the development with best quality. Comprehensive strength is promoted. The living standard of the people is increased. And it is beneficial for China’s national equality, unity and mutual prosperity.。
