China Modernizes: Threat to the West or Model for the Rest?

by Randall Peerenboom

Two sharply contrasting views of China exist today; one of a rising superpower, and the other of an anachronistic, authoritarian regime. So which is the real China? Randall Peerenboom offers a controversial, first-hand account of modern China focusing on its economic, political and legal
attributes within the context of the developing world.

Genres: China

432 pages, Hardcover

First published January 25, 2007

About the author

Randall Peerenboom is professor of law at La Trobe University.

Reviews

[Mike Cognato]

An interesting attempt to argue that there really is some East Asian Model of development that doesn't include what we think of as liberal democracy in the first stages, and that China is following it. Falls short on both counts, unfortunately. The meanspirited slaps at the West and downright disingenuous presentation of the flaws with the "Western" development model don't help, either. Still, the argument gets made enough that it's worth reading in depth, and Peerenboom does know his stuff when it comes to the Chinese legal system.

[Suvi]

Asian Studies