The flow of doom-mongering books about China has lately become more like a tidal wave. Whatever their strengths, recent contributions also tell a compelling – and seemingly timeless – story about how Western observers’ assumptions shape their conclusions, leaving one to wonder how China ever got to where it is today.
NEW HAVEN – The dark side of China is a source of constant inspiration for authors. The appearance of books filled with Sino-gloom is usually predictable – ebbing and flowing with the tide of global angst. The storylines are different, but the conclusions almost always end up roughly in the same place: China is poised to fail.
Today, the profusion of negative books on China is more like a tidal wave, certainly more than I have ever seen. Three recent additions to the genre are particularly noteworthy. Each is the work of a seasoned and thoughtful China watcher, and each tells its tale of China woe from a slightly different perspective. Elizabeth C. Economy’s The Third Revolution: Xi Jinping and the New Chinese State is true to its title and focuses on President Xi Jinping. Nicholas R. Lardy’s The State Strikes Back: The End of Economic Reform in China? emphasizes the shift back to a state-centric economy. And George Magnus’s Red Flags: Why Xi’s China is in Jeopardy, examines four traps that have ensnared China.
Each book makes a solid case that stands on its own. Taken together, they tell an even more compelling – and seemingly timeless – story of Western doubts about China. It’s enough to make one wonder how the Chinese ever got to where they are today.
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Nicholas R. Lardy, The State Strikes Back: The End of Economic Reform in China? Peterson Institute for International Economics, 2019
George Magnus,Red Flags: Why Xi’s China is in Jeopardy, Yale University Press, 2018
NEW HAVEN – The dark side of China is a source of constant inspiration for authors. The appearance of books filled with Sino-gloom is usually predictable – ebbing and flowing with the tide of global angst. The storylines are different, but the conclusions almost always end up roughly in the same place: China is poised to fail.
Today, the profusion of negative books on China is more like a tidal wave, certainly more than I have ever seen. Three recent additions to the genre are particularly noteworthy. Each is the work of a seasoned and thoughtful China watcher, and each tells its tale of China woe from a slightly different perspective. Elizabeth C. Economy’s The Third Revolution: Xi Jinping and the New Chinese State is true to its title and focuses on President Xi Jinping. Nicholas R. Lardy’s The State Strikes Back: The End of Economic Reform in China? emphasizes the shift back to a state-centric economy. And George Magnus’s Red Flags: Why Xi’s China is in Jeopardy, examines four traps that have ensnared China.
Each book makes a solid case that stands on its own. Taken together, they tell an even more compelling – and seemingly timeless – story of Western doubts about China. It’s enough to make one wonder how the Chinese ever got to where they are today.
To continue reading, register now.
Subscribe now for unlimited access to everything PS has to offer.
Subscribe
As a registered user, you can enjoy more PS content every month – for free.
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