From Library Journal

Nathan provides a sober judgment on the redirection of Chinese politics since Mao Zedong's death in 1976. He concludes that ``there is little prospect the party will adopt . . . either of the two conditions the radical Chinese democrats identified as essential for authentic democracy: free elections and an independent press.'' Concepts such as democracy are notoriously difficult to interpret in a cross-cultural context, but Nathan's command of Chinese intellectual history serves him well. He argues that Chinese intellectuals and politicians have seen democracy as a means to focus a natural harmony between the state and the individual. Thus, they have never felt it necessary for democracy to provide protections for the individual against the state's power. Drawing on this insight, he explores the problems of the individual and the state, the role of the press, and the place of elections in China today. An engrossing book with broad appeal. Highly recommended. David D. Buck, History Dept., Univ. of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Copyright 1985 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.