China Today, China Tomorrow: Domestic Politics, Economy, and Society

by Joseph Fewsmith

Overview

In this timely book, a group of leading scholars provides a comprehensive assessment of China's polity, economy, and society. Taking the thirtieth anniversary of Beijing's adoption of reform and opening as an occasion to reflect on the course of development over the past three decades, the contributors consider where the country may be going in the future. Just as China has had enormous success in developing its economy, it continues to face equally enormous challenges across a wide variety of issues, including inequality, social protest, energy, the environment, and a resurgence of religion. As a polity, China has tried to build a modern legal system while balancing center-local relations, sustaining a viable ideological framework, and maintaining stable politics at the elite level. At the same time, the current global economic crisis poses a major obstacle to China's model of development. Authoritative, accessible, and current, this book will be an invaluable resource for all readers interested in the fate of a rising global power.

Contributions by: Edward A. Cunningham, Joseph Fewsmith, Sebastian Heilmann, Jamie Horsley, Joanna Lewis, Yawei Liu, Barry Naughton, Elizabeth J. Perry, Ren Jiantao, Carl Riskin, Sun Yanfei, Robert Weller, Min Ye, and Yongnian Zheng.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780742567078
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	08/16/2010
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	344
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.10(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Joseph Fewsmith is professor of international relations and political science at Boston University.

Table of Contents

List of Tables and Figures vii

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction: Three Decades of Reform and Opening 1

Part 1 Social Order

1 Popular Protest: Playing by the Rules Elizabeth J. Perry 11

2 Religion: The Dynamics of Religious Growth and Change Robert Weller Sun Yanfei 29

3 The Rule of Law: Pushing the Limits of Party Rule Jamie Horsley 51

Part 2 Economics

4 Economic Growth: From High-Speed to High-Quality Barry Naughton 71

5 Inequality: Overcoming the Great Divide Carl Riskin 91

6 Economic Governance: Authoritarian Upgrading and Innovative Potential Sebastian Heilmann 109

Part 3 Politics

7 Foreign Direct Investment: Diaspora Networks and Economic Reform Min Ye 129

8 Elite Politics: The Struggle for Normality Joseph Fewsmith 149

9 Local Elections: The Elusive Quest for Choice Yawei Liu 165

10 Ideology: Its Role in Reform and Opening Ren Jiantao 181

Part 4 Systemic Constraints

11 Central-Local Relations: The Power to Dominate Yongnian Zheng 193

12 Energy Governance: Fueling the Miracle Edward A. Cunningham 223

13 Environmental Challenges: From the Local to the Global Joanna Lewis 259

Conclusion: China's Next Three Decades 277

Notes 285

Index 319

About the Contributors 329

What People are Saying About This

Ezra F. Vogel

This book offers the best overview available of Chinese society, economy, and politics. It brings together many of the finest scholars on contemporary China, giving a rounded view of the PRC over the past thirty years and raising incisive questions about where China is going. The authors show that the country's rapid economic growth, adaptive authoritarian government, and developing institutions over the last three decades give hope for coping with difficult problems like pollution, climate change, corruption, and inequality.

Bruce Dickson

This is a first-rate collection on some of the most important social, economic, and political issues facing China, written by some of the most influential scholars on these subjects. Simultaneously historically grounded and addressing current issues, this book deserves to be read by all those interested in how China has got to where it is and where it may be heading.

Editorial Reviews

This is a first-rate collection on some of the most important social, economic, and political issues facing China, written by some of the most influential scholars on these subjects. Simultaneously historically grounded and addressing current issues, this book deserves to be read by all those interested in how China has got to where it is and where it may be heading.

Bruce Dickson

Fascinating and interesting [chapters] by a stellar cast of largely US-based China experts about many aspects of China's development—political, social, economic and environmental.

International Affairs

This is a first-rate collection on some of the most important social, economic, and political issues facing China, written by some of the most influential scholars on these subjects. Simultaneously historically grounded and addressing current issues, this book deserves to be read by all those interested in how China has got to where it is and where it may be heading.--Bruce Dickson, George Washington University

This book offers the best overview available of Chinese society, economy, and politics. It brings together many of the finest scholars on contemporary China, giving a rounded view of the PRC over the past thirty years and raising incisive questions about where China is going. The authors show that the country's rapid economic growth, adaptive authoritarian government, and developing institutions over the last three decades give hope for coping with difficult problems like pollution, climate change, corruption, and inequality.--Ezra F. Vogel, Harvard University

Fascinating and interesting [chapters] by a stellar cast of largely US-based China experts about many aspects of China's development--political, social, economic and environmental.--International Affairs

From the Publisher

Provide[s] a timely, one-stop introduction to an array of critical issues facing China. Organized into sections on social order, economics, politics, and systemic constraints, the essays, all written by leading scholars . . . can stand alone as a valuable, discrete reading. Given this range of issues and China’s extraordinary transformation over the last thirty years, one that Fewsmith rightly concludes surpassed anyone’s imagination, predicting its future will be no easier. . . . This volume constitutes a good place to start.

Journal Of Asian Studies

This book offers the best overview available of Chinese society, economy, and politics. It brings together many of the finest scholars on contemporary China, giving a rounded view of the PRC over the past thirty years and raising incisive questions about where China is going. The authors show that the country's rapid economic growth, adaptive authoritarian government, and developing institutions over the last three decades give hope for coping with difficult problems like pollution, climate change, corruption, and inequality.

Ezra F. Vogel

Provide[s] a timely, one-stop introduction to an array of critical issues facing China. Organized into sections on social order, economics, politics, and systemic constraints, the essays, all written by leading scholars. .. can stand alone as a valuable, discrete reading. Given this range of issues and China’s extraordinary transformation over the last thirty years, one that Fewsmith rightly concludes surpassed anyone’s imagination, predicting its future will be no easier.. .. This volume constitutes a good place to start.

Journal of Asian Studies