China Modernizes

Two sharply contrasting views of China exist today. On the one hand a rising superpower predicted to have the largest economy in the world by mid century, on the other hand a brutal, anachronistic and authoritarian regime, a threat to geo-stability and to the economies of the industrial world. So which China is the real China? Randall Peerenboom addresses this question by exploring China's economy, political and legal system, and most controversially, its record on civil, political and personal rights in the context of the developing world. Avoiding polemic and relying on empirical evidence, he compares China's performance not with first world countries such as the US and UK but with other middle income countries and highlights the often hypocritical stance of an international community which demands standards from others that it does not match at home. He also critically evaluates the benefits of globalisation and democratisation and the normative values of the West set against Beijing's determination to retain its cultural and political integrity.This book seeks to bridge the gap in understanding about China and to create a firmer foundation for mutual trust, while recognising that there are inevitable risks in a shift in global power of this magnitude that will require hard headed pragmatism at times where interests collide.

ISBN 0199226121   Pages 432 ISBN13 9780199226122 (What's this?)   Volumes 1 Publisher Oxford University Press   Weight (grammes) 659 Imprint Oxford University Press   Published in Oxford Format Paperback   Height (mm) 235 Publication date 17 Apr 2008   Width (mm) 156 Library of Congress JC599   Spine width (mm) 25 DEWEY 320.951   Academic level General, Tertiary education, Professional / Scholarly DEWEY edition DC22

		Abbreviations
1		Introduction: two opposing views of China		1
2		Deja vu all over again: China and the East Asian Model		26
3		Taking rights seriously? Official policy and actual practice		82
4		Social and economic rights, law and order, women's rights, and cultural rights		129
5		Of rights and wrongs: why China is subject to a double standard on rights		163
6		Institutional reform: rule of law and good governance		184
7		Debating democracy		233
8		What if China democratizes? What if it doesn't?		257
9		Conclusion: modernity with modesty. The strengths and limits of the EAM		282
		Endnotes		298
		References		363
		Index		395

Relies heavily on empirical studies to aid taking right decisions. These features make this book so special and worth reading. Aussen-Wirtschaft important and timely Japanese Journal of Political Seadership because it is perhaps one of the clearest statements in favour of the Chinese model to yet emerge. Its main contribution is to help the China field place the great debate about the Chinese model in the context of the global politics. In an era in which China has replaced the Soviet Union and Chile in the global search for alternative modernities to liberal democracy, the book will be useful not only in the undergraduate classroom but also in the foreign policy world. Perceptive. David Smith, Sunday Times (Culture) Randy Peerenboom has jumped with vigor and data into the ever deepening debate over how to view China. Going beyond the previous focus on the economic aspects of the East Asian Model, he shows that the EAM has served China well and suggests that other countries may also learn from China's experiences. Sure to set off debate, China Modernizes is a must read. Joseph Fewsmith, Professor of International Relations and Political Science, Boston University Peerenboom's measured response to its dynamic present, caution us against more panicky assessments The contribution to studies of law and development, globalization and modernization is essential reading for all those interested in understanding the nature and implications of China's "model of development" . No matter whether this message pleases readers, the case definitely needs to be heard.

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