This book is prepared primarily for students who are interested in studying the constitutional development and government structure of twentieth-century China. Since the emergence of the Chinese consti tutional movement at the end of the nineteenth century, political institutions in China have undergone constant changes. The first four chapters treat of constitutional development and government systems from the latter part of the Ch'ing dynasty to the re-unification of China by the Nationalist Party in 1928. The other eight chapters deal with the policies, programs, and institutions of the Nationalist and Commu nist governments up to 1962. While treatises on various subjects have been consulted, the sources of this book are chiefly based on the official documents from the collections as indicated in the bibliography. Materials in the first few chapters are partly drawn from my previous works on government and politics in China. Because of the immense scope of the subject and the intricacy of the problems involved, this work is not intended to be exhaustive, but is rather a brief description and discussion of each topic under consideration. As there are many valuable works on China in general as well as on her history and inter national relations, I have tried not to cover what has already been dealt with by others. In my presentation of facts and views, I have endeavored to be as objective as possible, personal political convictions notwithstanding.

This book is prepared primarily for students who are interested in studying the constitutional development and government structure of twentieth-century China. Since the emergence of the Chinese consti tutional movement at the end of the nineteenth century, political institutions in China have undergone constant changes. The first four chapters treat of constitutional development and government systems from the latter part of the Ch'ing dynasty to the re-unification of China by the Nationalist Party in 1928. The other eight chapters deal with the policies, programs, and institutions of the Nationalist and Commu nist governments up to 1962. While treatises on various subjects have been consulted, the sources of this book are chiefly based on the official documents from the collections as indicated in the bibliography. Materials in the first few chapters are partly drawn from my previous works on government and politics in China. Because of the immense scope of the subject and the intricacy of the problems involved, this work is not intended to be exhaustive, but is rather a brief description and discussion of each topic under consideration. As there are many valuable works on China in general as well as on her history and inter national relations, I have tried not to cover what has already been dealt with by others. In my presentation of facts and views, I have endeavored to be as objective as possible, personal political convictions notwithstanding.

This book explores the history and development of modern Chinese politics. Written by Dr. Mingsheng Wang, a renowned Chinese political scientist, it presents a truly groundbreaking and thought-provoking study of the sociopolitical forces behind China’s gradual emergence as a new global power in the 20th century and its rapid rise as the world’s second-largest economy over the past 40 years. The author’s argument, illuminated by comparative theoretical analyses based on meticulously detailed empirical research, functions as a lens through which readers can better understand China’s remarkable accomplishments as well as consider broader issues that have perplexed many: Is there a China Path to sociopolitical progress? What is “socialism with Chinese characteristics”? Can China redefine its niche and maintain its growing momentum in an increasingly multilateral world? And finally, what lessons can we draw from China’s continuing progress in the post-COVID era? As the author argues eloquently and with persuasive evidence, China’s ongoing progress has followed neither the mode of Russian-style socialism nor that of Western prototypical capitalism. Rather, it represents a distinctively different model of progress and a continuous search for a viable alternative route to modernity that is permeated with Chinese realities. By identifying an alternative system described as the “China Path,” the author demonstrates convincingly that there exist ample options for different types of modernity and that economic growth means not only industrialization, but also the development of political democratization and the realization of the rule of law. In this sense, this book significantly enriches our understanding of modern China. The 33 carefully selected essays in the anthology provide a much-needed opportunity for scholars, policy makers and all interested readers to obtain an insider’s view of the history and prospect of China’s political development.

The Chinese government is one of the most important actors in international affairs today. To thoroughly understand how the People’s Republic of China has grown in power requires a careful analysis of its political system. To what extent can China’s economic achievements be attributed to the country’s political system and its policies? What are the effects of economic modernization and global economic integration on the Chinese polity? Is the Chinese political system capable of adapting to changing economic, technological, social, and international conditions? Exploring these central questions, this definitive book provides readers with a comprehensive assessment of the preconditions, prospects, and risks associated with China’s political development.

Law, in particular its actual functioning in any given society, is above all a part of the culture of that society - a part of its historical, political, social and intellectual creation. If a `black-letter' approach towards law in the West is under increasing criticism, it is particularly unhelpful, if not misleading, in understanding Chinese law, its nature and developments. Rather, to understand Chinese law, its nature and developments, we need to examine the Chinese legal traditions, the prevailing political and economic situations, Party policies on economic reform and tolerance towards political liberalisation, and scholarly discussions and debate. This is the approach of this book. Its aim is to put Chinese law `in context', to outline the nature and present status of its development, and to analyse the meaning of the law within the Chinese context. However, this monograph does not ignore the practical needs for determining the precise contents of the `black- letter' law either. A study of this kind necessarily involves a process of topic selection. However, to avoid over-generalisation and over-simplification, it also demands a considerable degree of comprehensiveness in coverage. For this reason, the book covers what the Chinese scholars term `fundamental law' and `basic branches' of law, while other topics are covered because they are either crucial for the understanding of the law (such as legal traditions in China) or of practical importance (such as foreign investment and trade). Chapter One provides an historical background to traditional Chinese `legal culture' and modern law reforms. The historical background of specific topics is examined as the topics are analysed in the following chapters. Chapter Two deals with the changing fate of law under Communist rule. Its focus is on the underlying factors and justifications for such changes. Chapter Three introduces discussions on specific branches of law, from public law (constitutional law, law-making, administrative law, criminal law, criminal procedure law) to `private' law (civil law, family law, contracts, law on business entities, and law on foreign investment and trade). Each of these is dealt with in a separate chapter. After the analysis of these substantial topics, certain conclusions are drawn, which attempt to define the nature of Chinese law and its developments in present-day China.

This book includes collective research by the Institute of Political Science of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, which is an important research institution of political science and a think-tank in China. The book was completed by the expert team of "China's Political System" headed by Director Fang Ning for several years and after several changes in their manuscripts. This book covers the core political systems of China, such as the leadership system of the Communist Party of China, the decision-making system of the Party and government in Chinese politics, the system of the people's congress, the relationship between the central and local authorities, the system of officials training and selection, the system of discipline inspection and supervision, the system of consultative democracy and the system of community-level self-governance, etc. This book aims to build a new paradigm of empirical research and introduction of the contemporary Chinese political system by using the description and research method of materialization and dynamics of the political system.

"[A] smart take on modern Chinese nationalism" (Foreign Policy), this provocative account shows that "China"--and its 5,000 years of unified history--is a national myth, created only a century ago with a political agenda that persists to this day China's current leadership lays claim to a 5,000-year-old civilization, but "China" as a unified country and people, Bill Hayton argues, was created far more recently by a small group of intellectuals. In this compelling account, Hayton shows how China's present-day geopolitical problems--the fates of Hong Kong, Taiwan, Tibet, Xinjiang, and the South China Sea--were born in the struggle to create a modern nation-state. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, reformers and revolutionaries adopted foreign ideas to "invent' a new vision of China. By asserting a particular, politicized version of the past the government bolstered its claim to a vast territory stretching from the Pacific to Central Asia. Ranging across history, nationhood, language, and territory, Hayton shows how the Republic's reworking of its past not only helped it to justify its right to rule a century ago--but continues to motivate and direct policy today.