On Xi Jinping How Xi's Marxist Nationalism is Shaping China and the World
by Rudd (Author) Format: Hardcover
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars (68)
An authoritative account of Xi Jinping's worldview and how it drives Chinese behaviour both domestically and on the world stage. In his new book, On Xi Jinping, former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd provides an authoritative account of the ideological worldview driving Chinese behaviour both domestically and on the world stage--that of President Xi Jinping, who now hold near-total control over the Chinese Communist Party and is now, in effect, president-for-life. Rudd argues that Xi's worldview differs significantly from those of the leaders who preceded him, and that this ideological shift is reflected in the real world of Chinese policy and behaviour. Focusing on China's domestic politics, political economy, and foreign policy, Rudd characterises Xi Jinping's ideological framing of the world as "Marxist-Leninist nationalism." According to Rudd, Xi's notion of Leninism has taken the party and Chinese politics further to the left in comparison to his predecessors. Also, his Marxism has also taken Chinese economic thinking to the left-in a more decisively more statist direction and away from the historical dynamism of the private sector. However, Chinese nationalism under Xi has moved further to the right- towards a much, harder-edged, foreign policy vision of China and a new determination to change the international status quo. Xi's worldview is an integrated one, where his national ideological vision for China's future is ultimately inseparable from his view on China's position in the region and the world. These changes in worldview are also reflected in Xi's broader rehabilitation of the concept of "struggle" as a legitimate concept for the conduct of both Chinese domestic and foreign policy--a struggle that need not necessarily always be peaceful. Finally, Xi's ideological worldview also exhibits a new level of nationalist self-confidence about China's future--derived from China's historical and civilizational strengths but reinforced by his Marxist-Leninist concept of historical determinism and the belief that the tides of history are now on firmly China's side. A powerful analysis of the worldview of arguably the most consequential world leader of our era, this will be essential reading for anyone interested in how Xi is transforming both China and the international order, and, most importantly, why?
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Review
"Rudd's book helps to better understand a man who is likely to shape China and world politics for a long time to come. Xi takes ideology very seriously. We should do the same." -- Angela Köckritz, Books for the Winter 2024, Table Media
""[An] incisive new book... adds a wealth of context to what animates Xi's grim determination." -- James Kynge, Financial Times
"Essential reading... For British readers, Rudd's book may take work: it's serious scholarship. But it's worth it to make clear that Xi's ideological framework is essential to any assessment of the threat from China...Rudd's warning has never been more timely: "We ignore Xi's clarity of ideological purpose at our peril."" -- Tom Tugendhat, Daily Telegraph
"magnificent...the book is a clarion call for free and open countries to wake up." -- Charles Parton, Spectator
"[A] monumental new take on Xi... [Rudd] understands the system [in China] in ways few of his peers can claim to... [He] is particularly good at showing how the strangely heterodox mixture of ideas from Marx, Mao and, in recent years, Confucius seen in China's domestic politics relate to the outside world." -- Kerry Brown, Times Literary Supplement
"A book of singular importance...It's distinctive, and therefore intensely valuable, and a classically Rudd enterprise because it involved reading, analysing and putting into Chinese and communist context every significant thing Xi has ever said or written." -- Greg Sheridan, The Australian
"Kevin Rudd shows how taking Xi's ideology seriously helps us to better understand Chinese politics and to make policies that reduce the likelihood of conflict." -- Neil Thomas, Australian Book Review
"[Xi Jinping's] worldview is superbly analysed in Kevin Rudd's new book...which should be read by specialists, the public and incoming Trump officials alike." -- Michael Pezzullo, The Strategist
"an essential read" -- Gunjan Singh, Business Standard
"A highly impressive tome - scholarly, authoritative, and surprisingly lucid for such a dense endeavour." -- Sang-Hwa Lee, The Article
"Xi Jinping is one of the most important, but most unknowable leaders of the modern world. Kevin Rudd uses meticulous readings of Chinese sources and deep knowledge of Beijing politics to interpret Xi's thinking in a fascinating and revealing way that is both deeply scholarly and informed by Rudd's own understanding of leadership." -- Rana Mitter, ST Lee Chair in US-Asia Relations, Harvard Kennedy School
"Public servant, prime minister, diplomat, scholar--Kevin Rudd's resume is also a stellar CV for the elite caste of scholar-bureaucrats that managed the Chinese empire for over a millennium. On Xi Jinping focusses the experience of a political practitioner engaged with China since his teenage years to analyse Xi Jinpingâs Party Empire and its global ambitions. Rudd also attempts the seemingly impossible by offering words of guidance and hope in this darkling age." -- Geremie R. BarmÃ(c), editor of the China Heritage
"Understanding Xi Jinping's worldview and what it means for China and us, is more crucial now than ever. Rudd's superb analysis provides the reader with a comprehensive guide to Xi's thinking on domestic policy and global affairs. Rudd takes Xi's words seriously and teases out the consequences: a politics and economics that has moved to the left and a foreign policy that has turned to a form of rightist nationalism. Rudd encapsulates these processes with the phrase 'Marist-Leninist Nationalism.' This work is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding where China has come from, where it is heading and the consequences for all of us." -- Anthony J. Saich, Daewoo Professor of International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School
"How has Xi Jinping's 'Marxist-Nationalism' shaped China and its relations with the world? No one is better placed than Kevin Rudd to answer these questions, and he does so convincingly in these illuminating pages. This is an essential book for everyone interested in the future of China." -- Joseph S. Nye, Author of A Life in the American Century
"In this book, Kevin Rudd provides all who care about peace a huge service. Drawing on his extraordinary knowledge of China and the Chinese system, Rudd reveals a side of Xi Jinping only comprehensible through his extensive ideological writings--giving us all unique insights into a man upon whom much of the future depends and helping scholars and policymakers alike better understand Xiâs motives and anticipate his actions. A remarkable read!" -- Meghan L. O'Sullivan, Director of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs and Jeane Kirpatrick Professor of the Practice of International Affairs, Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government
"Understanding Xi Jinping, his plans for China, and how they will affect the world, is the central challenge for the United States and policymakers everywhere. As a foreign policy practitioner, a scholar, a Chinese language speaker, and a former world leader himself, Kevin Rudd is uniquely well placed to answer the question of what Xi Jinping actually believes. He does so brilliantly by drawing on Chinese primary sources, in-depth research, and a lifetime of experience dealing with China's leadership." -- Stephen J. Hadley, National Security Advisor to President George W. Bush
"A very insightful analysis on Chinese politics, economics, and foreign policy under Xi Jinping's leadership, focusing on the critical role of ideology... a very well written and organised book." -- John West, Australian Outlook
"Best books of 2024: Politics "both entertaining and scholarly" -- Gideon Rachman, Financial Times
"The blend of Marxism and nationalism under Xi's leadership is not just reshaping China-it's a strategy that's impacting geopolitics worldwide." -- S&G Consulting Firm
"On Xi Jinping is a remarkable feat of research, which delivers a clear, compelling argument as to what Xi really believes, and how he plans to remake China and the world." -- Katie Stallard, New Statesman
"The book is an unusual production: a self consciously academic book written by a high-profile practitioner." -- Ian Hall, International Affairs
"Elegantly written" -- Elizabeth Economy, Foreign Affairs
"One of the seminal books on Xi Jinping ... it's essential in terms of understanding the background of Xi and where he comes from and his ideology." -- Erin Olander, The China Global South Project
"Rudd's On Xi Jinping contributes to a growing body of literature that takes ideology seriously in understanding contemporary China." -- Alfred L. Chan, The China Quarterly
Review
"Rudd's book helps to better understand a man who is likely to shape China and world politics for a long time to come. Xi takes ideology very seriously. We should do the same." -- Angela Köckritz, Books for the Winter 2024, Table Media ""[An] incisive new book... adds a wealth of context to what animates Xi's grim determination." -- James Kynge, Financial Times "Essential reading... For British readers, Rudd's book may take work: it's serious scholarship. But it's worth it to make clear that Xi's ideological framework is essential to any assessment of the threat from China...Rudd's warning has never been more timely:"We ignore Xi's clarity of ideological purpose at our peril."" -- Tom Tugendhat, Daily Telegraph "magnificent...the book is a clarion call for free and open countries to wake up." -- Charles Parton, Spectator "[A] monumental new take on Xi... [Rudd] understands the system [in China] in ways few of his peers can claim to... [He] is particularly good at showing how the strangely heterodox mixture of ideas from Marx, Mao and, in recent years, Confucius seen in China's domestic politics relate to the outside world." -- Kerry Brown, Times Literary Supplement "A book of singular importance...It's distinctive, and therefore intensely valuable, and a classically Rudd enterprise because it involved reading, analysing and putting into Chinese and communist context every significant thing Xi has ever said or written." -- Greg Sheridan, The Australian "Kevin Rudd shows how taking Xi's ideology seriously helps us to better understand Chinese politics and to make policies that reduce the likelihood of conflict." -- Neil Thomas , Australian Book Review "[Xi Jinping's] worldview is superbly analysed in Kevin Rudd's new book...which should be read by specialists, the public and incoming Trump officials alike." -- Michael Pezzullo , The Strategist "an essential read" -- Gunjan Singh, Business Standard "A highly impressive tome - scholarly, authoritative, and surprisingly lucid for such a dense endeavour." -- Sang-Hwa Lee, The Article "Xi Jinping is one of the most important, but most unknowable leaders of the modern world. Kevin Rudd uses meticulous readings of Chinese sources and deep knowledge of Beijing politics to interpret Xi's thinking in a fascinating and revealing way that is both deeply scholarly and informed by Rudd's own understanding of leadership." -- Rana Mitter, ST Lee Chair in US-Asia Relations, Harvard Kennedy School "Public servant, prime minister, diplomat, scholar--Kevin Rudd's resume is also a stellar CV for the elite caste of scholar-bureaucrats that managed the Chinese empire for over a millennium. On Xi Jinping focusses the experience of a political practitioner engaged with China since his teenage years to analyse Xi Jinpingâs Party Empire and its global ambitions. Rudd also attempts the seemingly impossible by offering words of guidance and hope in this darkling age." -- Geremie R. Barmé, editor of the China Heritage "Understanding Xi Jinping's worldview and what it means for China and us, is more crucial now than ever. Rudd's superb analysis provides the reader with a comprehensive guide to Xi's thinking on domestic policy and global affairs. Rudd takes Xi's words seriously and teases out the consequences: a politics and economics that has moved to the left and a foreign policy that has turned to a form of rightist nationalism. Rudd encapsulates these processes with the phrase 'Marist-Leninist Nationalism.' This work is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding where China has come from, where it is heading and the consequences for all of us." -- Anthony J. Saich, Daewoo Professor of International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School "How has Xi Jinping's 'Marxist-Nationalism' shaped China and its relations with the world? No one is better placed than Kevin Rudd to answer these questions, and he does so convincingly in these illuminating pages. This is an essential book for everyone interested in the future of China." -- Joseph S. Nye, Author of A Life in the American Century "In this book, Kevin Rudd provides all who care about peace a huge service. Drawing on his extraordinary knowledge of China and the Chinese system, Rudd reveals a side of Xi Jinping only comprehensible through his extensive ideological writings--giving us all unique insights into a man upon whom much of the future depends and helping scholars and policymakers alike better understand Xiâs motives and anticipate his actions. A remarkable read!" -- Meghan L. O'Sullivan, Director of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs and Jeane Kirpatrick Professor of the Practice of International Affairs, Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government "Understanding Xi Jinping, his plans for China, and how they will affect the world, is the central challenge for the United States and policymakers everywhere. As a foreign policy practitioner, a scholar, a Chinese language speaker, and a former world leader himself, Kevin Rudd is uniquely well placed to answer the question of what Xi Jinping actually believes. He does so brilliantly by drawing on Chinese primary sources, in-depth research, and a lifetime of experience dealing with China's leadership." -- Stephen J. Hadley, National Security Advisor to President George W. Bush "A very insightful analysis on Chinese politics, economics, and foreign policy under Xi Jinping's leadership, focusing on the critical role of ideology... a very well written and organised book." -- John West, Australian Outlook "Best books of 2024: Politics "both entertaining and scholarly" -- Gideon Rachman, Financial Times "The blend of Marxism and nationalism under Xi's leadership is not just reshaping China-it's a strategy that's impacting geopolitics worldwide." -- S&G Consulting Firm "On Xi Jinping is a remarkable feat of research, which delivers a clear, compelling argument as to what Xi really believes, and how he plans to remake China and the world." -- Katie Stallard, New Statesman "The book is an unusual production: a self consciously academic book written by a high-profile practitioner." -- Ian Hall, International Affairs "Elegantly written" -- Elizabeth Economy, Foreign Affairs "One of the seminal books on Xi Jinping ... it's essential in terms of understanding the background of Xi and where he comes from and his ideology." -- Erin Olander, The China Global South Project "Rudd's On Xi Jinping contributes to a growing body of literature that takes ideology seriously in understanding contemporary China." -- Alfred L. Chan, The China Quarterly
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On Xi Jinping How Xi's Marxist Nationalism is Shaping China and the World
On Xi Jinping How Xi's Marxist Nationalism is Shaping China and the World
Product details
Publisher : Oxford University Press USA
Publication date : 19 December 2024
Language : English
Print length : 400 pages
ISBN-10 : 019776603X
ISBN-13 : 978-0197766033
Item weight : 1.04 kg
Dimensions : 16.41 x 4.19 x 24.08 cm
Best Sellers Rank: 2,612 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Customer Reviews: 4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars (68)
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From Australia
PaulM
5.0 out of 5 stars Effort Required
Reviewed in Australia on 19 July 2026
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
Reading Rudd’s book can sometimes feel like trudging through mud, but the effort is worth it in getting a better, or perhaps different, Western understanding of what makes China tick, especially under the guiding hand of Xi Jinping. The one concern, despite Rudd’s credentials and apparent expertise, is how far an outsider can really penetrate an opaque system to the very heart of its leadership. His efforts may be likened to reverse-engineering. Accordingly, his book may or may not reflect what actually happens on the inside. Irrespective, a useful read even if all we have is a detailed view from the outside.
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Inclusivity
5.0 out of 5 stars Worth reading, even if selectively.
Reviewed in Australia on 6 December 2025
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Not a fan of Rudd, at all, but this book is very good. No great revelations, but it does increase one's understanding of what we can see happening. A surprisingly good read.
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From other countries
CarlosCC
5.0 out of 5 stars Muy recomendable
Reviewed in Spain on 21 March 2025
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Un libro que todos aquellos que estén interesados en la geopolítica y sientan interés en ver hacia donde podría ir el mundo en los próximos años, deben leer, puesto que la evolución de la política china nos afectará a todos. El libro está muy bien documentado y Kevin Rudd demuestra ser un experto en la materia. Creo que lo más interesante de este libro es que analizando el pensamiento de Xi Jinping y cómo ha ido evolucionando la política interna y exterior de China desde que llegó al poder, permite predecir como podría seguir esa evolución.
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Denis Timko
5.0 out of 5 stars Collision course
Reviewed in the United States on 22 November 2024
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
An exhaustively researched analysis of Xi Jinping and his impact on not only China, but the world itself. A serious book that needs to be read and used as a framework for gaining some insights into how , going forward, China is likely to behave and what to look for as clues about the direction China is taking on the key issues of today. There’s a lot going on. If the US has any real hope of continuing to prosper and provide a safe and secure environment for its citizens it’s important its citizens educate themselves about who they’re dealing with. This book is a great place to start or improve one’s knowledge and awareness of what’s coming down the road. Read it carefully and reflect on what it says.
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FRANCISCO XAVIER GONZALEZ GARZA
5.0 out of 5 stars Enigmático.
Reviewed in Mexico on 12 March 2026
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Very interesting...
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Niall O'Connor
5.0 out of 5 stars On Contradiction
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 18 April 2025
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An extremely timely and well written introduction to the Xi, for which Rudd has to be warmly congraulated. Nonetheless, I am personally not convinced as regards the conclusions/predictions that Rudd comes to in the book.
Mao’s On Contradiction is clear that contradictions, whether in society or politics, are inherently unpredictable and can never be fully dissected or broken down into simple terms. As Mao puts it, contradictions exist within contradictions, and their resolution is contingent on how these contradictions unfold over time. This process is far from deterministic, meaning that the outcome of any contradiction—whether in politics, economics, or ideology—cannot be known in advance. This is consistent with Badiou's notion of the Event, which suggests that historical developments and political shifts often emerge unexpectedly, defined by radical breaks from the existing order, rather than by gradual, predictable trajectories.
In this light, Rudd’s predictions about Xi’s future actions become problematic. Rudd attempts to forecast China’s trajectory based on a linear interpretation of Xi's Marxist-Leninist ideology, presupposing a level of predictability that contradicts the very dialectical foundations upon which Xi’s ideology rests. By predicting Xi’s moves based on ideological purity or supposed shifts, Rudd overlooks the contingent, evolving nature of Xi's approach.
Xi's own embrace of Marxist-Leninist dialectical thinking involves recognizing that contradictions are fluid, and their resolution is not preordained but determined by dynamic, contingent factors. Xi has famously articulated Marxism-Leninism as the Party’s weapon of thought, suggesting a flexible approach to contradictions that is highly attuned to changing conditions. The strategic decisions Xi makes are contingent upon the evolving dynamics of both internal Chinese politics and the global geopolitical environment. This makes Xi’s political approach inherently unpredictable and marks a clear departure from Rudd’s linear predictions.
For instance, Xi’s handling of China’s relationship with the U.S. during the trade war cannot be fully understood by simply mapping it onto a set of predictive models based on his Marxist-Leninist ideology. Xi’s decisions are, at their core, contingent on unfolding contradictions—domestic and international—and cannot be reduced to an ideological template that predicts a specific course of action. Predictions about Xi’s future behavior that don’t account for this contingent, dialectical unfolding of contradictions miss the core philosophical underpinnings of his thought.
Rudd’s tendency to make specific predictions about Xi’s future moves, particularly in terms of foreign policy and economic strategy, becomes a non-sequitur when viewed through the lens of dialectical materialism. If contradictions are inherently unpredictable, then to claim that Xi will pursue specific strategies based on an ideological framework risks reducing Marxist-Leninist dialectics to a rigid, deterministic system. In reality, the outcome of contradictions is contingent upon historical moments and unforeseen developments—just as Badiou’s Event emphasizes the radical unpredictability of historical shifts.
The dialectical method employed by Xi—echoing Mao’s conception of contradictions—would lead us to understand that Xi’s actions are not the result of inevitable ideological progression but rather the product of a contingent unfolding. Any attempt to predict Xi’s actions with certainty, as Rudd does, neglects the fluidity of the contradictions in play, the potential for radical shifts, and the unpredictable nature of the political landscape. Therefore, Rudd’s predictions about Xi’s trajectory can be seen as a philosophical misstep, given the inherent contingency and unpredictability at the heart of Xi's dialectical Marxist-Leninist framework.
Rudd’s thesis falls short because it misunderstands the dialectical nature of Xi’s Marxist-Leninism, reducing it to a deterministic framework that allows for specific predictions about future actions. However, as Mao’s On Contradiction and Badiou's notion of the Event make clear, contradictions and their resolution are inherently contingent, unpredictable, and subject to radical breaks rather than gradual developments. This makes Rudd’s predictions about Xi’s future policy moves not just problematic, but a philosophical non-sequitur, given the dialectical and contingent nature of Marxist-Leninist thought as embraced by Xi. Understanding Xi’s leadership requires more than ideological analysis or predictive forecasting; it demands an appreciation of the unpredictability of political decisions and the contingent nature of the contradictions that define both Chinese domestic politics and global geopolitics.
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Mauricio
5.0 out of 5 stars Must read to understand China
Reviewed in Belgium on 20 June 2026
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
In depth amazing analysis of Xi and his grab on the other world power.
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Laetitia Strauch-Bonart
5.0 out of 5 stars Le livre pour comprendre Xi
Reviewed in France on 10 February 2025
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Un ouvrage impressionnant par son exhaustivité et sa fluidité.
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RoW
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
Reviewed in the Netherlands on 3 July 2026
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Great read
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Alexander Zabezhinsky
5.0 out of 5 stars The best book to understand modern China
Reviewed in the United States on 28 October 2024
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The most in-depth book on politics, economics and governance in China. Presents quite clearly the change that has happened and continues to happen in China under the leadership of Xi. Few people in the West know and understand China as deeply as Kevin Rudd. I am personally in the world of investments and the book clearly sets out for me the concept regarding investments in China.
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A. Menon
4.0 out of 5 stars A perspective on Xi Xinping's domestic move to the left
Reviewed in the United States on 25 March 2025
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On Xi Jinping is Kevin Rudd's second book on China and its leadership's priorities in the last few years. This work is an extension of his Doctoral Thesis he recently submitted on the study of Xi Jinping and his ideological priorities of expanding Marxist-Leninism within the Party while also moving China to the right on a foreign policy agenda. It is a very thorough work surveying the public works of Xi as well as inclusive of diplomatic commentary on the change of nature in diplomatic encounters with China. It is largely a work of academic political science and so is quite dry to read at times. Overall the book contains a thorough message that China's ideological move to the left is both substantial and will be persistent under Xi with all moves away from this direction ultimately being tactical. It also contains the message that China's international ambitions will continue to grow as its domestic strength has and its belief in its own wisdom for global governance norms will be on display to a greater and more forceful degree than the past.
On Xi Jinping is an expansive book covering most aspects of Xi Jinping thought and how it influences governance through 16 chapters. The author begins with a historical overview of what he is discussing and what the terminology definitions are. There is a long legacy of Marxist intellectual infrastructure which is used by the party to frame its policy initiatives as well as the framework for analyzing history. The author thus discusses dialectic materialism and the role of contradictions for framing the Party's world view and in particular Xi Jinping's views on the current challenges China faces as a function of its past decisions. The longer cycles of history are thus more deeply embedded in Xi's ideology than the business cycle focus of much of the West at the expense of coherent long term strategy. One novel quote which the author clears up as an effective mis-quote is that by Zhou Enlai when asked about the French Revolution with the response being we need more time to assess in which Zhou was apparently assuming the query was about recent French protests rather than the French Revolution. The author moves in to how China's world view started to measurably change under Xi with increased clampdowns domestically followed by more abrasive behavior externally. These were a distinct shifts marked a break from the operating model under Deng and inherited by Hu and Jiang Zemin. Domestically the increased materialism and inequality inducing growth that was introduced in the reform periods was deemed to have gone too far and relying on the Marxist historical analysis framework was leading to new contradictions which needed to be addressed. Xi in particular felt that the party's credibility was deeply at risk by the rising corruption within the party and the growing inequality in society. The response to this was a dramatic anti-corruption and rectification agenda that continues to this day.
These beliefs about the causes of China's growing domestic incoherence with the original governing philosophy of the party led to a significant re-orientation of priorities to embedding the state back into the economy more aggressively and containing the animal spirits of the private sector. The book details all that went into this and at some level Xi tried to address much of the concerns that are prevalent everywhere but with little concern or regret for all of the unintended consequences of trying to re-engineer the political economy. This is deemed to be a necessary evil and as such is a core message of the book, the actions being taken are ideological over practical and the beliefs of Xi are driven by ideology rather than results. Of course the leadership pays attention to results but only to adjust tactically and there is an acknowledgement that the adjustment will be painful but inescapable. This is the main takeaway but it is also not particularly insightful as it is where the consensus is and has been for 2 years now.
The author moves on to the move to the right on promotion of nationalism and projection of power abroad. This is another multi year and multi-faceted agenda to increase the role of China in governing world affairs. Here the author argues that China under Xi is trying to re-orient the global governance structure away from US centric and towards one where China's wisdom is deferred to and it's interests are not contested. The author includes personal discussions with diplomats on their real world analysis of the changing diplomatic exchanges with China and the increased abrasiveness of them.
Overall there are several different weaved aspects of how Xi's governing philosophy is affecting how China interacts with itself and with the world that are to the left from the Deng era domestically and to the right globally with the rise of nationalism. This is deeply strategic under Xi and tactical deviations are merely to manage a path but the ideologically determined strategic goals will not waver under Xi. After many years of managing mini-crisis with partial resolutions being the norm, most people see this as obvious now and those hoping for any dramatic shift back to greater market involvement and westernization are dismissed easily. As such this book is largely just summarizing from a political philosophy perspective why the agenda has been set as it has and how to interpret it. From that lens it is an informative read.
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ML
4.0 out of 5 stars In-Depth Review of Xi Jinping Ideology and Policies But Repetitive
Reviewed in the United States on 13 May 2025
Format: KindleVerified Purchase
I really enjoyed the first half or so of this book, up through his interviews with anonymous ex ambassadors and officials from countries outside China. The best parts of this book are the excerpts from Xi’s many speeches and papers. After the ambassador recap, however, the narrative became largely repetitive of themes, analysis, and conclusions that had been well established in the preceding chapters. I took a star off my rating for this, but would still recommend the book.
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