Download or read book Sowing the Seeds of Democracy in China written by Merle Goldman and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 1994 with total page 460 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When they found their efforts had produced negligible results, they tried to introduce new institutions such as a free press, a legislature with real power, the rule of law, and truly competitive elections.

Download or read book From Comrade to Citizen written by Merle Goldman and published by . This book was released on 2005-09-30 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A leading scholar of China's modern political development examines the changing relationship between the Chinese people and the state. Correcting the conventional view of China as having instituted extraordinary economic changes but having experienced few political reforms in the post-Mao period, Merle Goldman details efforts by individuals and groups to assert their political rights. China's move to the market and opening to the outside world have loosened party controls over everyday life and led to the emergence of ideological diversity. Starting in the 1980s, multi-candidate elections for local officials were held, and term limits were introduced for communist party leaders. Establishment intellectuals who have broken away from party patronage have openly criticized government policies. Those intellectuals outside the party structures, because of their participation in the Cultural Revolution or the 1989 Tiananmen Square demonstrations, have organized petitions, published independent critiques, formed independent groups, and even called for a new political system. Despite the party's repeated attempts to suppress these efforts, awareness about political rights has been spreading among the general population. Goldman emphasizes that these changes do not guarantee movement toward democracy, but she sees them as significant and genuine advances in the assertion of political rights in China.

Download or read book China and Democracy written by Suisheng Zhao and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2014-06-11 with total page 297 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: China's dramatic economic growth in the last two decades of the last century and the prospect of its rise as a great power in this new one have greatly increased its weight and importance in world affairs. Consequently the progress, or lack of progress, of China's transition to democracy has become a central concern of the international community. This timely collection brings together many well-known scholars to systematically explore China's current government and assess that transition toward democracy. The contributors seek to bridge the gap between normative theories of democracy and empirical studies of China's political development by providing a comprehensive overview of China's domestic history, economy, and public political ideologies. Overall the volume contends that Chinese culture and Confucianism are not the obstacles to democratic transition that some scholars have said they are, and that the success of market reforms has eroded authoritarian rule. This weakening does not guarantee a successful transition, however, and the contributors show that there are many reasons to be skeptical about the short-term prospects for democracy in China, including historical failures, the underdevelopment of civil society, political apathy, and competing social values. Though China's political culture is essentially neither anti-democratic not pro-democratic, it must still overcome many obstacles in order to achieve democracy.

Download or read book Chinese Democracy after Tiananmen written by Yijiang Ding and published by UBC Press. This book was released on 2011-11-01 with total page 185 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1989, most observers believed that China's political reform process had been violently short-circuited, but few would now dispute that China is in a very important transition. Central to this transition has been an extraordinary change in the formal intellectual conception of 'democracy.' In this book, Yijiang Ding presents a multi-dimensional picture of China at the political crossroads. Chinese Democracy looks at the significant change in the state-society relationship in contemporary China in three interrelated areas: intellectual, social, and cultural. Drawing heavily on recent Chinese scholarship, Ding shows that the emergent theory on the dualism of state and society is contemporaneous with a new cognitive and cultural appreciation of the people's independence from state authority. Is China moving toward liberal democracy? Does Western engagement with China contribute economically and politically to this shift? These are the questions at the heart of the book. Which are especially timely, given the recent reconstruction of political regimes worldwide.

Download or read book Support for Economic and Political Change in the China Countryside written by Samuel James Eldersveld and published by Lexington Books. This book was released on 2001 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Samuel J. Eldersveld and Mingming Shen, the authors of this important 'two-wave' study, illuminate a unique and richly contoured view of Chinese attitudes about political and economic reform. They base their findings on the responses of a panel of over 800 mass respondents, approximately 1,300 interviews with villagers, and 250 interviews with cadres. The authors provide extensive analysis of their data and find that the level of popular support for reform and support for democratic values is surprisingly high. Of particular interest is the examination of support for political, specifically citizen, participation--contacting officials, attending party and village meetings, and voting for village committees. The authors find significant variance in mass and cadres beliefs, but Eldersveld and Shen's findings provide impressive new data for the study of economic and political development in China, and the possibility of democracy in the future.

Download or read book Deng Xiaoping written by Alexander Pantsov and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2015 with total page 641 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book covers the entire life of Deng Xiaoping. Starting with his childhood and student years to the post-Tiananmen era.

Download or read book Deng Xiaoping written by Alexander V. Pantsov and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2015-04-01 with total page 544 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Deng Xiaoping joined the Chinese Communist movement as a youth and rose in its ranks to become an important lieutenant of Mao's from the 1930s onward. Two years after Mao's death in 1976, Deng became the de facto leader of the Chinese Communist Party and the prime architect of China's post-Mao reforms. Abandoning the Maoist socio-economic policies he had long fervently supported, he set in motion changes that would dramatically transform China's economy, society, and position in the world. Three decades later, we are living with the results. China has become the second largest economy and the workshop of the world. And while it is essentially a market economy ("socialism with Chinese characteristics"), Deng and his successors ensured the continuation of CCP rule by severely repressing the democratic movement and maintaining an iron grip on power. When Deng died at the age of 92 in 1997, he had set China on the path it is following to this day. Alexander Pantsov and Steven Levine's new biography of Deng Xiaoping does what no other biography has done: based on newly discovered documents, it covers his entire life, from his childhood and student years to the post-Tiananmen era. Thanks to unprecedented access to Russian archives containing massive files on the Chinese Communist Party, the authors present a wealth of new material on Deng dating back to the 1920s. In a long and extraordinary life, Deng navigated one epic crisis after another. Born in 1904, Deng, like many Asian revolutionary leaders, spent part of the 1920s in Paris, where he joined the CCP in its early years. He then studied in the USSR just as Stalin was establishing firm control over the Soviet communist party. He played an increasingly important role in the troubled decades of the 1930s and 1940s that were marked by civil war and the Japanese invasion. He was commissar of a communist-dominated area in the early 1930s, loyal henchman to Mao during the Long March, regional military commander in the anti-Japanese war, and finally a key leader in the 1946-49 revolution. During Mao's quarter century rule, Deng oscillated between the heights and the depths of power. He was purged during the Cultural Revolution, only to reemerge after Mao's death to become China's paramount leader until his own death in 1997. This objective, balanced, and unprecedentedly rich biography changes our understanding of one of the most important figures in modern history.

Download or read book Inklings of Democracy in China written by Suzanne Ogden and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2020-05-11 with total page 450 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Since 1979 China’s leaders have introduced economic and political reforms that have lessened the state’s hold over the lives of ordinary citizens. By examining the growth in individual rights, the public sphere, democratic processes, and pluralization, the author seeks to answer questions concerning the relevance of liberal democratic ideas for China and the relationship between a democratic political culture and a democratic political system. The author also looks at the contradictory impulses and negative consequences for democracy generated by economic liberalism. Unresolved issues concerning the relationships among culture, democracy, and socioeconomic development are at the heart of the analysis. Nonideological criteria are used to assess the success of the Chinese approach to building a fair, just, and decent society."

Download or read book Conceptions of Chinese Democracy written by David J. Lorenzo and published by JHU Press. This book was released on 2013-05-15 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Close attention to the writings of the founding fathers of the Republic of China on Taiwan shows that democracy is indeed compatible with Chinese culture. Conceptions of Chinese Democracy provides a coherent and critical introduction to the democratic thought of three fathers of modern Taiwan—Sun Yat-sen, Chiang Kai-shek, and Chiang Ching-kuo—in a way that is accessible and grounded in broader traditions of political theory. David J. Lorenzo’s comparative study allows the reader to understand the leaders’ democratic conceptions and highlights important contradictions, strengths, and weaknesses that are central to any discussion of Chinese culture and democratic theory. Lorenzo further considers the influence of their writings on political theorists, democracy advocates, and activists on mainland China. Students of political science and theory, democratization, and Chinese culture and history will benefit from the book's substantive discussions of democracy, and scholars and specialists will appreciate the larger arguments about the influence of these ideas and their transmission through time.

Download or read book Mao s China and the Cold War written by Jian Chen and published by Univ of North Carolina Press. This book was released on 2010-03-15 with total page 416 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This comprehensive study of China's Cold War experience reveals the crucial role Beijing played in shaping the orientation of the global Cold War and the confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union. The success of China's Communist revolution in 1949 set the stage, Chen says. The Korean War, the Taiwan Strait crises, and the Vietnam War--all of which involved China as a central actor--represented the only major "hot" conflicts during the Cold War period, making East Asia the main battlefield of the Cold War, while creating conditions to prevent the two superpowers from engaging in a direct military showdown. Beijing's split with Moscow and rapprochement with Washington fundamentally transformed the international balance of power, argues Chen, eventually leading to the end of the Cold War with the collapse of the Soviet Empire and the decline of international communism. Based on sources that include recently declassified Chinese documents, the book offers pathbreaking insights into the course and outcome of the Cold War.

Download or read book State and Society in China s Democratic Transition written by Xiaoqin Guo and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2012-10-12 with total page 283 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study aims to fill the gap in the existing literature on China's Democratic development, by presenting a comprehensive and detailed examination of the key factors that have created and sustained state domination over society in China.

Download or read book Conditional Democracy The Contemporary Debate on Political Reform in Chinese Universities written by Émilie Frenkiel and published by ECPR Press. This book was released on 2015-03-01 with total page 220 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Little is known about the political views of non-dissident Chinese intellectuals. For this book, Émilie Frenkiel has been granted unprecedented access to the discussions of politically committed Chinese who have been part of the intellectual debate on post-Tiananmen reform. Her in-depth research elicits lively views that reflect the yearnings and fears of the country’s political elite, and reveal the diversity of approaches to China’s democratisation. 'In the west, where most of us think that democracy based on competitive elections is mankind’s ultimate and inevitable political journey’s end, we tend to hear only the opinions of Chinese who share our beliefs. Émilie Frenkiel’s book gives voice to a large number of prominent Chinese academics, helping us better understand ‒ without reinforcing our prejudices ‒ what that country’s academic elite thinks about their present and prospective political system. This rich, informative and refreshing inquiry will help us view the contemporary political debate in China through less distorted lenses.' Pasquale Pasquino, New York University 'Émilie Frenkiel’s book thoroughly renews our understanding of the Chinese debate on democracy and political reform – a debate often simplistically presented in the West through typologies differentiating ‘liberalism’, ‘new left’ or ‘cultural nationalism’. She studies the biographical itineraries, the works, the modes of involvement in public debate and the relationship with the political authorities of twenty prominent intellectuals, and she uncovers rarely studied realities: how the ‘market of ideas’ works, how to have influence on leaders, and in particular how to spell out acceptable criticisms in the Chinese context. She also originally shows that beyond the diversity of viewpoints, Chinese intellectuals share a technocratic vision of politics, an obsession with the meritocratic ideal and an approach to democracy based on capacity – on the conviction that the Chinese population is not yet up to the task of electing its leaders. A milestone.' Pierre Rosanvallon, Collège de France 'The official political discourse in China is uniform and, to be frank, boring. Over the last three decades, however, Chinese intellectuals have been carrying out fascinating and often heated debates about China's political future. Drawing on extensive interviews with the key players, Émilie Frenkiel brings these debates to light. Thought-provoking and balanced, this book is essential reading for anyone who wants to learn more about China's political possibilities.' Daniel A Bell, Tsinghua University, Beijing 'Émilie Frenkiel’s book is fascinating for all scholars that work on, or are interested in, China, but it will also be of interest for political theorists. The debate among Chinese intellectuals – especially political scientists active in the public sphere – shows how they are trying to conceptualise an original path to democracy in the twenty-first century, and demonstrates clearly that beyond the rule of the CCP, the country is moving politically very fast. This provincialises Europe and the USA: part of this debate is highly specific, but another one echoes the search for an answer to the crisis of political representation in Western countries. A book that helps us to better understand the world we live in.' Yves Sintomer, Université Paris

Download or read book The Democratic Implications of Civil Society in China written by B. He and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-07-27 with total page 223 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book discusses the roles of civil society in the initiation stage of democratization in China. It argues that there is a semi-civil society in China and that this quasi-civil society that plays dual roles in the initial stage of democratisation in China. It makes a contribution to existing theories on democratic functions of civil society by applying, testing, revising and developing these theories in the context of Chinese democratization.

Download or read book China s Intellectuals and the State written by Merle Goldman and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2020-10-26 with total page 390 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Today’s intellectuals in China inherit a mixed tradition in terms of their relationship to the state. Some follow the Confucian literati watchdog role of criticizing abuses of political power. Marxist intellectuals judge the state’s practices on the basis of Communist ideals. Others prefer the May Fourth spirit, dedicated to the principles of free scholarly and artistic expression. The Chinese government, for its part, has undulated in its treatment of intellectuals, applying restraints when free expression threatened to get “out of control,” relaxing controls when state policies required the cooperation, good will, and expertise of intellectuals. In this stimulating work, twelve China scholars examine that troubled and changing relationship. They focus primarily on the post-Mao years when bitter memories of the Cultural Revolution and China’s renewed quest for modernization have at times allowed intellectuals increased leeway in expression and more influence in policy-making. Specialists examine the situation with respect to economists, lawyers, scientists and technocrats, writers, and humanist scholars in the climate of Deng Xiaoping’s policies, and speculate about future developments. This book will be a valuable source of information for anyone interested in the changing scene in contemporary China and in its relations with the outside world."

Download or read book Asian Democracy in World History written by Alan T. Wood and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-04-29 with total page 136 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Taking a comparative approach, Alan T. Wood traces the evolution of democracy from its origins in prehistoric times and describes democratic growth in thirteen Asian countries from Japan in East Asia to Pakistan in South Asia and examines key issues such as: * How does the democratic experience in Asia, in countries with unique and totalitarian political traditions, compare with democracies worldwide? * Is the aspiration to freedom universal or is it a product of western ideas and institutions?

Download or read book China s Information and Communications Technology Revolution written by Xiaoling Zhang and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2009-03-20 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In recent years, China has experienced a revolution in information and communications technology (ICT), in 2003 surpassing the USA as the world’s largest telephone market, and as of February 2008, the number of Chinese Internet users has become the largest in the world. At the same time, China has overtaken the USA as the world’s biggest supplier of information technology goods. However, this transformation has occurred against the backdrop of a resolutely authoritarian political system and strict censorship by the Party-state. This book examines China’s ICT revolution, exploring the social, cultural and political implications of China’s transition to a more information-rich and communication-intensive society. The pace of the development of ICT in China has precipitated much speculation about political change and democratisation. This book explores the reality of ICT in China, showing clearly that whilst China remains a one-party state, with an ever-present and sophisticated regime of censorship, substantial social and political changes have taken place. It considers the ICT revolution in all its aspects, outlining the dominant trends, the impact on other countries of China as an ICT exporter, strategies of government censorship and use of ICT for propaganda, the implications of censorship for Chinese governance, the political implications of internet culture and blogging, and the role of domestic and foreign NGOs. Overall, this book is a vital resource for anyone seeking to understand a rapidly transforming China, both today and in the years to come.

Download or read book Problems of Democratization in China written by Thomas G. Lum and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2015-01-28 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: While evaluating competing theories of why countries become democratic, this study argues why China has not democratized. Also discusses are the Communist Party's methods of social control and examines four groups-Party and government cadres, intellectuals, workers and peasants.