Thirty Years of Reform and Social Changes in China is translated from the original Chinese to provide a look into how scholars in China have been assessing their country's recent societal and political history. This volume and the others in the SSRC series, provide western scholars with an accessible English language look at the state of current scholarship in China on the interplay of the country's political and economic reforms with the society and daily life of its people.
China Development Research Foundation is one of the leading economic think tanks in China, where many of the details of China’s economic reform have been formulated. Its work and publications therefore provide great insights into what the Chinese themselves think about economic reform and how it should develop. This book presents a comprehensive survey of China’s reforms of the last thirty years. Its coverage includes macroeconomic policy; banking, finance, capital markets and tax; trade; labour markets; price reform; social security; and much else. Overall, it provides an invaluable assessment of the reforms from the perspective of experts within China, including an appraisal of how extensive the reforms have been, what consequences have turned out, and how far the reforms have been successful.
Socioeconomic structures in China have altered dramatically since Deng Xiaoping promoted the policy of "Reform and Opening Up" in 1978. This collection explores social ramifications of the drive towards a more market-oriented economy. Economic Transitions with Chinese Characteristics: Social Change During Thirty Years of Reform addresses social issues ranging from land tenure and housing to migration, inequality, education, labour markets, health care, and demographics. The affiliated volume, Economic Transitions with Chinese Characteristics: Thirty Years of Reform and Opening Up, first puts the economic situation into a broad context, and then looks at topics related to economic growth, finance, and technological change. Book jacket.
The year 2018 marks 40 years of reform and development in China (1978–2018). This commemorative book assembles some of the world’s most prominent scholars on the Chinese economy to reflect on what has been achieved as a result of the economic reform programs, and to draw out the key lessons that have been learned by the model of growth and development in China over the preceding four decades. This book explores what has happened in the transformation of the Chinese economy in the past 40 years for China itself, as well as for the rest of the world, and discusses the implications of what will happen next in the context of China’s new reform agenda. Focusing on the long-term development strategy amid various old and new challenges that face the economy, this book sets the scene for what the world can expect in China’s fifth decade of reform and development. A key feature of this book is its comprehensive coverage of the key issues involved in China’s economic reform and development. Included are discussions of China’s 40 years of reform and development in a global perspective; the political economy of economic transformation; the progress of marketisation and changes in market-compatible institutions; the reform program for state-owned enterprises; the financial sector and fiscal system reform, and its foreign exchange system reform; the progress and challenges in economic rebalancing; and the continuing process of China’s global integration. This book further documents and analyses the development experiences including China’s large scale of migration and urbanisation, the demographic structural changes, the private sector development, income distribution, land reform and regional development, agricultural development, and energy and climate change policies.
Economic Transitions with Chinese Characteristics: Social Change During Thirty Years of Reform explores a broad set of issues from an economic perspective. It addresses issues ranging from land tenure and housing to migration, labour markets, healthcare, demographics, and more. After 30 years of incredibly rapid economic growth, standards of living in China have increased appreciably and many families have been raised from poverty. New concerns, such as economic inequality and environmental degradation, are, however, arising. Economic issues related to China's reforms are explored in an accessible manner by a wide array of Chinese and international scholars who use this anniversary to take stock of, and provide insight into, the remarkable transitions underway. Contributors include Bruce Anderson (Queen's University), Gordon Betcherman (World Bank), John Cai (Fudan University), Jie Chen (Fudan University), Zhao Chen (Fudan University), Weili Ding (Queen's University), Julan Du (Chinese University of Hong Kong), Peilei Fan (Michigan State University), Emily M. Hill (Queen's University), Gary H. Jefferson (Brandeis University), Stever F. Lehrer (Queen's University), Shuzhuo Li (Xi'an Jiaotong University), Xiaofeng Liu (Fudan University), Ming Lu (Fudan University), Changyuan Luo (Fudan University), Warren Mabee (Queen's University), John Meligrana (Queen's University), Stephen Morgan (University of Nottingham), Naoki Murakami (Nihon University), Wenwei Ren (Fudan University), Ana Revenga (World Bank), Yucheng Sang (Fudan University), Christoph M. Schimmele (University of Victoria), Arthur Sweetman (Queen's University), Minna Hahn Tong (World Bank), Guanghua Wan (Yunnan University), Yongqin Wang (Fudan University), Kailei Wei (Hainan University), Guanzhong James Wen (Trinity College), Sonia M.L. Wong (Lingnan University), Zheng Wu (University of Victoria), Rudai Yand (Peking University), Shujie Yao (University of Nottingham), Yang Yao (Peking University), Linda C.W. Yung (Chinese University of Hong Kong), Jun Zhang (Fudan University), Yan Zhang (Fudan University), Ye Zhang (Nanjing University), Yuan Zhang (Fudan University), and Zhiyao Zhang (Fudan University)
In the thirty years since China initiated economic reforms and its open-door policy, China has been transformed from a poor nation almost completely isolated from the global economy to an engine of growth of the world economy. China’s dynamic transition has been among the most dramatic developments of recent history; and its economy continues to grow rapidly, with important consequences for China’s own society and environment, as well as for the wider world. This book provides a fascinating insight into a wide range of issues on Chinese economy and its three decades of economic reforms. With well-researched, in-depth and comprehensive coverage of key topics, using the latest research findings, this book covers Chinese monetary policy and financial sector reforms; China’s income disparities; the emergence of China’s business groups; the implications of foreign direct investment and innovation and technological developments. The book will be an indispensable guide to scholars, entrepreneurs, policy-makers and all who are interested in China’s economic affairs.
This book offers a comprehensive review of the far-reaching social changes that have taken place since the start of the Chinese economic reform and opening up of Chinese society over 30 years ago. As such, it examines various aspects of the social transformation of China, from urbanization, population aging and social governance to family structure, youth society and social mentality. It identifies major issues and challenges emerging during the process of the great social change, and proposes solutions to aid in future strategic planning. The analysis is supported by a wealth of empirical data collected in the course of extended social survey research. The book also provides a systematic summary of the most important research findings from the past few years, helping readers to understand and interpret the ongoing and complex process of transformation in Chinese society.
The Logic of the Market by Weiying Zhang—considered China’s “leading market liberal”—comprises his most influential essays on economics over the past three decades. First published in China in 2010, this revised edition contains three new essays, which offer those outside China a deeper understanding of the Chinese economy. “Market competition is a really just competition to create value for others... Only through this approach did the Western economy advance over the past 200 years. It is also the reason for China’s economic marvel over the past 30 years,” writes Weiying. Readers will appreciate Weiying’s ability to address both everyday economic issues and the questions that confront a nation’s leaders, not the least a nation seeking to escape mass poverty. The economic reforms and subsequent growth in China may be the most astonishing and hopeful event of our age. Weiying was among the leaders who set China on its path of change. Here he elucidates the pitfalls and the progress of economic reform, celebrating leaders who mixed sustained idealism with judicious compromise. Readers seeking to learn from China’s successes will find much of interest here. Weiying emphasizes the importance of entrepreneurs in the new China. He concludes, “The key for China, as the country with the world’s largest population, to return to being the largest economy lies in allowing the entrepreneurial spirit to develop the potential of the domestic market.” For that to happen, Weiying recommends that China continue to reduce the state-owned economy, lessen government control over the economy, and—over the next 30 years—emphasize political reform to build a constitutional democracy. His thinking is not limited to China. Some of these essays also focus on the global financial crisis—how Keynesian policies can only be effective for the short term and will bring long-term negative consequences. Weiying provides a unique perspective on his country’s market economy, implementation of economic policies, and the potential for Chinese economic development. “I hope that the logic of the market becomes every person’s ideal,” he writes. “That is my reason for writing this book.”
Economic growth in China has transformed both politics and society. Old orthodoxies are painfully being eroded in the drive for reform while new social and cultural tensions are coming to light. It has been argued that the cycles of reform and retreat since 1978 which culminated in the Tiananmen Square tragedy were induced by the tensions of the reform process. It is clear that the way in which China handles these issues in the future will have major implications for the next phase of the country's development. The authors of this book analyse how reform has affected major groups in society such as urban workers, rural and urban cadres, the army, intellectuals and private entrepreneurs. They examine the interaction between old attitudes and new needs in such areas as education, policing and social control, rural administration and the status of women. What emerges is a broad insight into China's reform process which looks both at the enormous changes that have come about and at the problems to follow.
This book provides a historical overview of Chinese economic reform over the past 30 years. From the genesis of the reform to the gradual improvement of the market system, and then to the re-start of the critical stage of the reform, this book includes not only research on the reform process, but also detailed descriptions of the key areas of reform since the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee. On this basis, the author develops six logics for Chinese economic reform. Firstly, reform is cyclical, moving between rapid advances and deadlock; this calls upon us to re-examine the common view of reform. Secondly, reform is systematic; it cannot succeed without supporting reforms in other fields. Thirdly, the relationship between reform, development and stability should be properly handled. This “trinity” is quite different from the perspective of western mainstream theory, which puts too much emphasis on efficiency. Fourthly, the success of Chinese reform was not achieved by chance. The reform practice is based on the theoretical logic, and also goes beyond the debate between progressive and radical modes. Fifthly, the Top-level Design should be combined with “crossing the river by moving from stone to stone,” i.e., the theoretical basis of reform should be combined with reform practice. Sixthly and lastly, the ongoing reform in China must be understood in the contexts of global competition and reform competition.
