Contemporary Chinese Political Thought: Debates and Perspectives
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Westerners seem united in the belief that China has emerged as a major economic power and that this success will most likely continue indefinitely. But they are less certain about the future of China's political system. China's steps toward free market capitalism have led many outsiders to expect increased democratization and a more Western political system. The Chinese, however, have developed their own version of capitalism. Westerners view Chinese politics through the lens of their own ideologies, preventing them from understanding Chinese goals and policies.
In Contemporary Chinese Political Thought: Debates and Perspectives, Fred Dallmayr and Zhao Tingyang bring together leading Chinese intellectuals to debate the main political ideas shaping the rapidly changing nation. Investigating such topics as the popular "China Model", the resurgence of Chinese Confucianism and its applications to the modern world, and liberal socialism, the contributors move beyond usual analytical frameworks toward what Dallmayr and Zhao call "a dismantling of ideological straitjackets." Comprising a broad range of opinions and perspectives, Contemporary Chinese Political Thought is the most up-to-date examination in English of modern Chinese political attitudes and discourse.
Features contributions from Ji Wenshun, Zhou Lian, Zhao Tingyang, Zhang Feng, Liu Shuxian, Chen Ming, He Baogang, Ni Peimin, Ci Jiwei, Cui Zhiyuan, Frank Fang, Wang Shaoguang, and Cheng Guangyun. (less)
In Contemporary Chinese Political Thought: Debates and Perspectives, Fred Dallmayr and Zhao Tingyang bring together leading Chinese intellectuals to debate the main political ideas shaping the rapidly changing nation. Investigating such topics as the popular "China Model", the resurgence of Chinese Confucianism and its applications to the modern world, and liberal socialism, the contributors move beyond usual analytical frameworks toward what Dallmayr and Zhao call "a dismantling of ideological straitjackets." Comprising a broad range of opinions and perspectives, Contemporary Chinese Political Thought is the most up-to-date examination in English of modern Chinese political attitudes and discourse.
Features contributions from Ji Wenshun, Zhou Lian, Zhao Tingyang, Zhang Feng, Liu Shuxian, Chen Ming, He Baogang, Ni Peimin, Ci Jiwei, Cui Zhiyuan, Frank Fang, Wang Shaoguang, and Cheng Guangyun. (less)
Hardcover, 295 pages
Published June 21st 2012 by University Press of Kentucky (first published January 1st 2012)
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This is a thought provoking and often dense compilation of essays about political thought in China, especially concerning democracy. It is iconoclastic in America to suggest anything critical about democracy, but there are some interesting things to consider about the Chinese perspective.
Some of my favorite points from the different essays were that democracy may not work well in countries that don't have a well established state already. The power of citizens to elect leaders is not in and of itself enough to lift a country up that doesn't have any real economic controls or law enforcement to lean on. Another essay argued that a government can be for the people without being by the people. Obviously this puts a lot of trust in an unelected leader, but there are aspects of Confucianism that celebrate both a common bond between all people, and what we would basically call authoritarianism. Democracy is criticized in this book for being littered with self interested people not thinking of the common good. Certainly democracy can be by the people, but in some cases not for the people if it is ruled by a majority that doesn't consider the needs of others. This is a concern today and was for many founding fathers as well. Alexander Hamilton, for instance, wrote to Thomas Jefferson about concerns over the tyranny of the majority.
Ultimately though I think democracy is a better design of government for almost any country. While there are potential efficiencies to a government for the people but not by the people, the potential to abuse power is too dangerous. One of the authors in this book bases a lot of his arguments about how the Chinese government is not truly authoritarian or dangerous because they are constrained by term limits. This is a particularly interesting essay to read a few years later, now that Xi Jinping has in fact abolished term limits. (less)
Some of my favorite points from the different essays were that democracy may not work well in countries that don't have a well established state already. The power of citizens to elect leaders is not in and of itself enough to lift a country up that doesn't have any real economic controls or law enforcement to lean on. Another essay argued that a government can be for the people without being by the people. Obviously this puts a lot of trust in an unelected leader, but there are aspects of Confucianism that celebrate both a common bond between all people, and what we would basically call authoritarianism. Democracy is criticized in this book for being littered with self interested people not thinking of the common good. Certainly democracy can be by the people, but in some cases not for the people if it is ruled by a majority that doesn't consider the needs of others. This is a concern today and was for many founding fathers as well. Alexander Hamilton, for instance, wrote to Thomas Jefferson about concerns over the tyranny of the majority.
Ultimately though I think democracy is a better design of government for almost any country. While there are potential efficiencies to a government for the people but not by the people, the potential to abuse power is too dangerous. One of the authors in this book bases a lot of his arguments about how the Chinese government is not truly authoritarian or dangerous because they are constrained by term limits. This is a particularly interesting essay to read a few years later, now that Xi Jinping has in fact abolished term limits. (less)
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