The Deng Xiaoping era : an inquiry into the fate of Chinese socialism, 1978-1994

A bold new history of the Deng years by a leading China scholar Unlike the former Soviet Union and the once "socialist" countries of Eastern Europe, China's current economy is now the world's second largest and most rapidly growing. Remarkably, today's problems in China are spiritual in nature-"a crisis of faith"-stemming from the clash between capitalist realities and lingering socialist values and ideas. "The Deng Xiaoping Era "is the story of that crisis and of Deng Xiaoping's promise of socialist democracy that has degenerated into bureaucratic capitalism. Maurice Meisner shows how the social contract between the Chinese Communist Party and the people was grossly violated by the Deng regime, and why capitalism has emerged as the dynamic force in today's socioeconomic and cultural life. Now, after more than a decade of capitalist reforms, he argues that Chinese spiritual malaise is deepening with the brutal suppression of the 1989 Democracy Movement and its politically repressive aftermath. This is an indispensable study of contemporary Chinese history-from the Chinese Revolution and the founding of the Maoist state to the establishment of the Deng regime and the social consequences of Deng's reforms-as well as a formidable analysis of the failure of the world's greatest socialist experiment. In The Past Decade, The World Has Become Familiar With The Image Of Communist Powers Struggling In Economic And Political Crisis. The Crisis In China, Whose Economy Is Now The World's Second Largest And Fastest Growing, Is Perhaps The Most Serious Of All, And Maurice Meisner's Important New Book Shows How It Stems From A Deep Spiritual And Political Dispute Between Capitalist Realities And Lingering Socialist Values And Ideas. The Deng Xiaoping Era Is Meisner's Analysis Of That Crisis And Of How Deng Xiaoping's Promise Of Socialist Democracy Degenerated Into Bureaucratic Capitalism. He Shows The Ways In Which The Deng Regime Grossly Violated The Social Contract Between The Chinese Communist Party And Chinese People, And How Capitalism Emerged As The Dynamic Force In Today's Socioeconomic And Cultural Life. Now, Meisner Argues, After More Than A Decade Of Capitalist Reforms, The Chinese Spiritual Malaise Is Deepening With The Brutal Suppression Of The 1989 Democracy Movement And Its Politically Repressive Aftermath. This Indispensable Study Of Contemporary Chinese Politics - From The 1949 Revolution And The Founding Of The Maoist State To The Establishment Of Deng's Regime And The Social Consequences Of His Reforms - Is, As Well, A Formidable Analysis Of The Failure Of The World's Greatest Socialist Experiment. 1. The Chinese Revolution And The Question Of Capitalism -- 2. The Permanence Of Revolution: The Mao Era, 1949-76 -- 3. The Transition To The Post-mao Era, 1976-78 -- 4. The Triumph Of Deng Xiaoping -- 5. The Rise And Fall Of The Democracy Movement, 1978-81 -- 6. The Place Of Mao Zedong In Post-mao China -- 7. Leninism, Bureaucracy, And Political Reform -- 8. The Economic Legacies Of The Mao Era And The Post-mao Reformers -- 9. The Countryside: The Social Consequences Of Decollectivization -- 10. The Cities: State, Market, And The Urban Working Class -- 11. Bureaucratic Capitalism -- 12. The Fall Of Hu Yaobang And The Origins Of The Democracy Movement -- 13. Zhao Ziyang And The Ideology Of Chinese Capitalism -- 14. The Democracy Movement Of 1989 -- 15. China In The 1990s -- 16. The Fate And Future Of Chinese Socialism. Maurice Meisner. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 525-533) Index. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 525-533) And Index.