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Chinas New Order: Society, Politics, and Economy in Transition
by Hui Wang (Translator: Theodore Huters) (Translator: Rebecca E. Karl)
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Harvard University Press (2003-11-28)
ISBN: 0674009320
EAN: 9780674009325
Dewy Decimal #: 306.0951
Hardcover: 256 pages
SKU: 20-XWQQ-FLO1
Condition: New
Comments: Brand new hardcover with dust jacket. Gift quality. Expedited shipping is available.
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Editorial Reviews
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Product Description
As the world is drawn together with increasing force, our long-standing isolation from--and baffling ignorance of--China is ever more perilous. This book offers a powerful analysis of China and the transformations it has undertaken since 1989. Wang Hui is unique in China's intellectual world for his ability to synthesize an insider's knowledge of economics, politics, civilization, and Western critical theory. A participant in the Tiananmen Square movement, he is also the editor of the most important intellectual journal in contemporary China. He has a grasp and vision that go beyond contemporary debates to allow him to connect the events of 1989 with a long view of Chinese history. Wang Hui argues that the features of contemporary China are elements of the new global order as a whole in which considerations of economic growth and development have trumped every other concern, particularly those of democracy and social justice. At its heart this book represents an impassioned plea for economic and social justice and an indictment of the corruption caused by the explosion of "market extremism." As Wang Hui observes, terms like "free" and "unregulated" are largely ideological constructs masking the intervention of highly manipulative, coercive governmental actions on behalf of economic policies that favor a particular scheme of capitalist acquisition--something that must be distinguished from truly free markets. He sees new openings toward social, political, and economic democracy in China as the only agencies by which the unstable conditions thus engendered can be remedied. (20040401)
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Customer Reviews
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Nice Ideas, Dull Translation
Rating  (2)
Date: 2007-05-15
2 out of 4 customers found this reveiw helpful
I think the idea's of Wang Hui's book and his arguments are rather fascinating, but the translation was bogged down with run on sentences. The beginning part is basically a summary, and for all intents and purposes could be thrown out, since Wang Hui's own words are there for all to see. The last section of the book was the best, since, to me it seemed more relevant than the rest. I read this book last summer, along with several other books concerning the same subject material, and I don't think Wang Hui is the best, but he is not the worst either, but most of the problems with this book are due to the translation. Next time, use shorter sentences please!
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Not what I expected
Rating  (1)
Date: 2007-03-12
1 out of 4 customers found this reveiw helpful
I had to use this book for a college course in East Asian Studies. I have to say this is not a very enjoyable book to read, especially for writing a research paper. The author tends to ramble, jumping from topic to topic within sentences, and uses inflated language, which is often unnecessary and makes you doze off in minutes.
For my paper, I ended up looking into other books which helped me greatly. Do not read the first review for this book - it's most likely a professor who uses this book in one of his courses. Believe me, "lost in translation" is just skimming the surface when speaking about this book. Hope that helps.
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turgid and boring to read
Rating (1)
Date: 2005-03-19
9 out of 19 customers found this reveiw helpful
Few Chinese political writings translate well into English. Despite the best efforts of the traslator and editor, I was disappointed with this volume. It was turgid reading at best. The only redeeming feature about this volume is its price, especially for a hardcover. But then one buys a book for the ideas not just because it's cheap.
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A unique perspective on China, from China
Rating  (5)
Date: 2004-02-05
60 out of 70 customers found this reveiw helpful
Most Western perspectives on China fall into two (equally wrong)camps: the celebrations of the emergence of a new economic superpower reminiscent of William Gibson on 1980s Japan or the typical right-wing paranoia of China as the new enemy. Western discourse on China's politicshas been narrowly defined by ingrained images of 1989, some dissident bloggers, and Falun Gong. Discourse on economy has equally been restricted, becoming mostly a numbers game for the foreign investor, with Chicken Littles such as Gordon Chang warning of collapse. Rarely do we consider the real interests of regular Chinese. It's anyone's guess as to what the aspirations were of the man standing in front of the tank in Tiananmen, but most assume he was fighting for "reform" against the monolithic power of the party-state. To Americans, that reform can only mean one thing. But rather than assume this man risked his life for the freedom to eat Big Macs, why not hear from one of the actual participants and find out what "reform" means in China?Wang Hui teaches at Tsinghua Univ. and is editor of the monthly journal "Dushu". He has become the unofficial leader of an intellectual circle his critics labeled the "New Left" (perjorative in associating Wang with Maoism). In this collection of his landmark essays on contemporary China, Wang exposes the domination of neoliberal and Fukuyama end of history ideologies and assumptions upon China's internal discourse. According to Wang, post-Mao China has seen many problems, but these aren't exclusively the problems of a state hindering the forward march of market reforms. Rather, they are the product of these so-called reforms. The neoliberals in China are not working against, but working within the party structure, becoming a new exploitative class and capitalizing on privatization through avenues legal and illegal. Human rights abuses in China are not only the oppression of dissidents, but the regular people just trying to survive in the jungle of market fundamentalism. While some have taken notice to labor issues, few have done it justice. Social discontent seems unlikely to spark revolution anytime soon, but the plight of workers and peasants deserves more attention. Wang looks at these problems emerging as a result of Dengism. Wang Hui is one of those few who have examined this story forgotten in the new economic superpower-new enemy debates in America. Wang argues that this discontent is struggling to articulate some sort of agenda and it made such an attempt in 1989, with the results of the crackdown being a renewed determination by the Dengists not simply to permit, but force capitalism on China with the use of state violence. On this, China's neoliberals are silent. Wang Hui offers a radical third view on China from the perspective of an insider. In writing, he indicts both a party that has failed to live up to its own ideals of social justice and equality and the so-called critics of the party who benefit from its domestic gunboat capitalism. Wang reminds us that the students, as well as other less visible social groups, didn't just sing the Beatles in '89 (with some in the world hoping they'd take the lyrics of "Revolution" to heart and embrace the post-revolution McWorld), they also sang the Internationale. Those interested in such interpretations of contemporary China may also enjoy Streetlife China by Michael Dutton.
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