近來學者多運用「發展型國家理論」來研究1927-1949 年間的國民政府對於經濟發 展的貢獻。本文希望以國營石油企業開創的例子，來與此一研究取向進行對話。1930 年 代之前，一方面缺乏石油地質研究，加上私人企業的石油探勘結果不佳，使得實業家在 中國進行石油開發的意願不高。1927 年南京國民政府成立之後，有意要開發石油資源， 卻受到缺乏石油技術與人才的限制而無法發展。最後在中日戰爭的壓力下，國民政府才 動員所有的資源，在甘肅玉門進行石油開發。本文認為，即使在意識型態或經濟國族主 義的影響下，中國政府有意開發石油，但是複雜且資本密集的石油技術，使得國家必須 要創立新機構，取得新技術，才能在偏遠的地區進行大規模石油開採與煉油事業。

This empirical study of the application of the developmental state thesis to history of the Nationalist government of China before 1949 explores how technology might have played a crucial role in shaping China’s early state-owned enterprises. It begins with an analysis of how an unfavorable petroleum geological assessment and the small petroleum market gave little incentive to entrepreneurs to invest in oil exploration. It also discusses how technology continued to hamper the Nationalist government’s efforts in oil prospecting. Then, it considers the history of China’s first large-scale oilfield, the Yumen Oilfield, which was established in 1939 at the height of the Sino- Japanese War (1937-1945). It argues that the Nationalist government shared some features of the developmental state, yet, despite the aspiration of economic nationalism, technology played a crucial role in the birth of China’s petroleum enterprises.