As the Chinese Communist Party continues to move away from socialism, it faces a growing number of challenges to the claim that it represents the sole legitimate governing body in China. In order to reaffirm itself as the most effective force for keeping the country together, the CCP has adapted to contemporary political conundrums in a variety of ways. Rejecting pessimistic perspectives which predict an erosion of state power or naive optimism that state-society relations will evolve towards a Western-style pluralist democracy in the foreseeable future, the contributions to this volume explore many ways in which the CCP selectively adapts to the challenges that have arisen from its strategy of rapid economic growth at the expense of political reform, in order to maintain its authority and relevance. Examining trends such as the reliance on religious charities originating from outside the PRC, the revival of local governance in urban settings, the passing of legislation for workers, or the multiplication of environmental non-governmental organizations, this book tackles the question of whether the Chinese government can overcome these challenges. The Chinese Party-State in the 21st Century: Adaptation and the Reinvention of Legitimacy will appeal to students and scholars of Chinese politics, Asian politics, comparative politics and political sociology.

In most liberal democracies commercialized media is taken for granted, but in many authoritarian regimes the introduction of market forces in the media represents a radical break from the past with uncertain political and social implications. In Media Commercialization and Authoritarian Rule in China, Daniela Stockmann argues that the consequences of media marketization depend on the institutional design of the state. In one-party regimes such as China, market-based media promote regime stability rather than destabilizing authoritarianism or bringing about democracy. By analyzing the Chinese media, Stockmann ties trends of market liberalism in China to other authoritarian regimes in the Middle East, North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa and the post-Soviet region. Drawing on in-depth interviews with Chinese journalists and propaganda officials as well as more than 2000 newspaper articles, experiments and public opinion data sets, this book links censorship among journalists with patterns of media consumption and media's effects on public opinion.

With unique access to Chinese leaders at all levels of the party and government, best-selling author David M. Lampton tells the story of China’s political elites from their own perspectives. Based on over five hundred interviews, Following the Leader offers a rare glimpse into how the attitudes and ideas of those at the top have evolved over the past four decades. Here China’s rulers explain their strategies and ideas for moving the nation forward, share their reflections on matters of leadership and policy, and discuss the challenges that keep them awake at night. As the Chinese Communist Party installs its new president, Xi Jinping, for a presumably ten-year term, questions abound. How will the country move forward as its explosive rate of economic growth begins to slow? How does it plan to deal with domestic and international calls for political reform and to cope with an aging population, not to mention an increasingly fragmented bureaucracy and society? In this insightful book we learn how China’s leaders see the nation’s political future, as well as about its global strategic influence.

中國對於世界可以是機會也可以是威脅。 那麼世界對於中國呢？ 和平崛起的背後並非沒有戰略思考。 中國這麼大，人口這麼多，經濟充滿活 力，軍事又快速崛起，但即便如此，中國 仍然是一個周遭強敵環伺的脆弱強權。在充分認知地緣政治對中國所造成的挑戰之後，我們才能夠更加理解：即便對它的鄰國影響日深，中國為什麼還要採取這樣那樣的外交政策。黎安友與施道安分析了中 國對四個前線的安全考量：中國境內、近 鄰國家、周邊區域以及亞洲以外。在闡明 是哪些安全議題驅使中國採取哪些外交政策之後，兩位作者對中國的崛起給出

《中国的"行为联邦制":中央-地方关系的变革与动力》是从行为方式的视角对中国的中央—地方关系进行概念化的首次尝试。尽管中国并没有一种联邦形式的政府体制，但作者认为，随着改革开放的深化，中国的中央—地方关系日益遵循联邦制的原则在运作。联邦制作为中国的一种运行机制被置于研究之中。作者将中国现存的政治体制定义为“行为联邦制”，并在书中对它的起源和动力做出详细的分析。这一体制主要由两个相互关联的因素驱动——政府间的放权化和全球化。当1980年代实施的经济放权导致“行为联邦制”的形成时，90年代兴起的全球化加速了这一过程并越来越施加影响，使之表现出制度化的趋势。

本书主要内容包括: 中国民主资本家的神话 ; 绕过民主: 政权稳定、非正式制度及政治变革 ; 中国私营经济的非正规及正规的复活等。