Description
Book SynopsisAfter the death of Mao, the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party embarked on a series of ambitious political reforms. Barrett L. McCormick develops a theory of Leninist states to explore the prospects for these reforms. He finds that, although the Chinese people have made significant economic and political gains, the basic contours of the state remain unchanged, and as events in June 1989 clearly showed, reform has not diminished the stateâs ability to impose its prerogatives on society. Drawing on Weberâs political sociology, McCormick argues that patronage and corruption are integral aspects of Leninist rulership. Reformers have attempted to promote democracy and law and to fight corruption, but when they attempt to implement their programs through traditional hierarchical Leninist institutions, lower-level cadres have been able to utilize patronage networks to blunt the impact of reform and protect their personal agendas. In his case studies of the legal system, the people
Table of ContentsList of IllustrationsForewordJonathan P. ParryNote on Transliteration, Abbreviations, and NamesAcknowledgmentsIntroduction 1. The Cosmic Sink2. Fire in the Well3. The Reformation4. The Wrong Side of the River5. Daw& and Duw&6. Death and Nondiscrimination ConclusionNotesGlossaryReferencesIndex
