Description: With a population of more than one billion people, China today represents both an ocean of economic opportunity and a frustrating backwater of continuing brutal political repression. What are the prospects for democratic evolution in a nation with one of the world's poorest human rights records? How have other nations responded to China since the recent, dramatic opening of its economic system -- and how should they respond in the future? These are some of the most important -- and troubling -- questions confronting both the United States and the international community.

In this far-reaching collection, one of America's preeminent authorities on modern China takes on central issues facing the world's largest nation: on democracy, human rights, and the move to integrate China into the international economy; on Mao Zedong's regime and the reform since his death; on the Taiwan experiment and Hong Kong's reintegration with China, Andrew Nathan offers an accessible introduction to the intricate web of contemporary Chinese politics -- and China's changing place in the global system.

In response to Deng Xiaoping's death, Nathan has added new material on political, social, and economic changes he foresees. Two dozen tables summarize a wide range of essential data -- including polls on the perceived impact of the government on the people, opinions on democracy, and illiteracy rates by gender and age.

Sophisticated, lucid, and balanced, this tightly connected series of essays is filled with telling detail. As much as it will be welcomed by students of history, political science, and economics, China's Transition will also have much broader appeal: human rights workers, business leaders whoseek better understanding of China's role in the exploding Asian marketplace, and any reader with an interest in a deeper knowledge of this complex and fascinating nation will find much food for thought on every page.

Please Wait