摘要：

关键词: 火器革命, 技术革命, 西欧现代化, 常备军, 财政危机, 大分流

Abstract:

Technological revolution does not mean simple efficiency improvement for a country, but is more related to the subsequent political and social changes. Therefore, there are multiple system effects in the mechanism of civilization dynamics of technological revolution. Taking the improvement of firearms technology in Western Europe in the 18th century as an example, the revolution of firearms technology affected the modernization of Western Europe in three aspects. First, standardized production and training enhanced military strength which made the establishment of a standing army necessary for winning the war. Second, the establishment of the standing army weakened the traditional feudal structure and strengthened the central authority of the state. Third, the firearm revolution led to the increase in the frequency of war and the subsequent financial crisis, which became a bargaining chip for the traditional aristocracy to resist the modernization reform. Prussia benefited most from the firearm revolution because its initial conditions helped to absorb the positive externalities of the technological revolution and avoid its negative externalities. On the contrary, neither France, Spain, Austria nor the Qing Empire could effectively promote the modernization process with the help of the technological revolution. The different destinies of modern countries after the firearm revolution can bring enlightenment to the discovery of the complex mechanism between the technological revolution and the rise and fall of great powers.

Key words: firearm revolution, technological revolution, modernization of Western Europe, standing army, financial crisis, great diversion