Seeking Changes: Political Development in Contemporary China

China’s revolutionary attempt to transition to socialism was an economic disaster. Since adopting elements of an open market policy in the 1970s, China has doubled its GDP every decade, and has lifted 400 million people out of absolute poverty. But as renowned social historian Arif Dirlik keenly observed that in China, “Post-socialism is of necessity also post-capitalist.” As the wealth of the country continues to accumulate, the Chinese Communist Party is increasingly concerned about updat...