Chinese Capitalisms: Historical Emergence and Political Implications (International Political Economy Series)

In Chinese Capitalisms, experts examine the rise of capitalism on China and Taiwan, analyzing impacts exerted by global capitalism, Chinese civilization, and remnants of socialist practice. In focusing on these, they also address longstanding issues such as Weber's China Thesis, state-business relationships, and China's civil society, among others. China has undergone dramatic social and economic change since it initiated reform and instigated its opening up policy thirty years ago. As well as great wealth, mass inequalities have also surfaced in China, along with considerable public unease. Such a remarkable transition has occurred within a political system defined by a one-party state that continues to call itself 'communist'. Drawing on case studies from China, Taiwan and post-communist societies in Eastern and Central Europe, Yin-wah Chu explores why socialist China embarks on the capitalist path. She analyzes whether the changes have proved the strength of the entrepreneurial spirit in Chinese society or if they hinged on the success of the global capitalist systems of Hong Kong and Taiwan? Chu also considers whether mainland China and Taiwan have trodden the same path to capitalism or whether their differences in landmass and historical experiences will ultimately lead to the rise of divergent albeit 'Chinese' capitalisms? Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 6 List of Tables......Page 8 Acknowledgments......Page 9 Notes on Contributors......Page 11 1 Chinese Capitalisms: An Introduction......Page 16 Part I: Capitalist China......Page 32 2 The “Spirit” of Capitalism in China: Contemporary Meanings of Weber’s Thought......Page 34 3 State Neoliberalism: The Chinese Road to Capitalism......Page 61 4 Postrevolution Transformations and the Reemergence of Capitalism in China: Implications for the Internal Organization of Economic Activities......Page 88 5 Workers in Post-Socialist China: Shattered Rice Bowls, Fragmented Subjectivities......Page 115 Part II: China’s Capitalism in Comparative Perspective......Page 138 6 Taiwan’s Industrialization: The Rise of a Demand-Responsive Economy......Page 140 7 Taishang: A Different Kind of Ethnic Chinese Business in Southeast Asia......Page 171 8 A Spell Breaker: The Dynamism of the Koo Family......Page 191 9 Capitalism in China? Comparative Perspectives......Page 214 Part III: Conclusion......Page 240 10 Chinese Capitalisms: Concluding Thoughts on their Historical Emergence, Political Implications, and Unique Characteristics......Page 242 E......Page 260 N......Page 261 W......Page 262 Y......Page 263