Marketization and Democracy in China / Edition 1

by Jianjun Zhang

Overview

Since China began an era of market reform three decades ago, many Westerners believed that, political liberalization and, eventually, democracy would follow. However, contrary to Western expectations, China remains an authoritarian country and the communist party is still in power, even though the country has witnessed rapid economic growth and its people have become richer.

In Marketization and Democracy in China, Jianjun Zhang questions whether China’s market reforms have created favorable social conditions for democracy, whether the country’s emerging entrepreneurial class will serve as the democratic social base, and the role of government in the process of transition. Based upon a careful analysis of two regions—Sunan and Wenzhou —the two prototypical local development patterns in China, Zhang finds that different patterns of economic development have produced distinct local-level social and political configurations, only one of which is likely to foster the growth of democratic practices. The results suggest that China’s political future is largely dependent upon the emerging class structure and offer a warning on China’s development: if market reforms and economic development only enrich a few, then democratic transition will be unlikely.

Marketization and Democracy in China will be of interest to scholars of Chinese politics, political science and development studies.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780415452229
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	02/12/2008
Series:	Routledge Studies on China in Transition , #31
Pages:	292
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

About the Author

Jianjun Zhang is Assistant Professor in the Guanghua School of Management, Peking University, China.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction Part 1: Development Patterns and the Evolution of Property Rights 2. Emergence of the Two Development Patterns 3. Changing Power Relations 4. Privatization of TVEs Part 2: Class Structure and Elite Relations 5. Polarized versus Equalized Class Structure 6. Elite Relations in Sunan 7. Elite Relations in Wenzhou Part 3: Political Consequences 8. Top-down versus Bottom-up Business Associations 9. Controlled versus Competitive Village Elections 10. Conclusion

Editorial Reviews

'Dr Zhang's book has a very clear thesis, and looks at a further dimension of this issue of partial democratisation and participation in major decision-making in China' - Kerry Brown, Asian Affairs, March 2009

From the Publisher