China's Provinces in Reform: Class, Community and Political Culture (Routledge in Asia) [Paperback]

David SG Goodman (Editor)

Book Description

Series: Routledge in Asia | Publication Date: June 27, 1997

China is a far larger and more diverse country than many people in the West realise. The provinces that make up the country are considerable social, economic and political systems in their own right. They are comparable in size and complexity to European states.
China's Provinces in Reform is concerned with the impact of economic reform and social and politial change within the provinces at the immediate sub-central level of the People's Republic of China. One of the main aims of this book is to question over-generalizations about China's development in the reform era. However, the provincial analysis of social and political change in China also has the potential to reveal even more in a comparative perspective.
This is the first volume of a series and covers Guangxi, Hainan, Liaoning, Shandong, Shanghai, Sichuan and Zhejiang. It is part of a project conducted by the Institute for International Studies at the University of Technology, Sydney, that will provide the most thorough and up to date analysis of China's provinces yet published.

Editorial Reviews

Review

...this is an excellent book illustrating effectively the realities and heterogeneity of socialist transition. Not only is it an invaluable resource for readers interested in specific provinces within China, but taken as a whole this volume is a welcome and refreshing example of regional studies well informed by political-economic perspectives.
–Economic Geographies

This is an excellent book that ... dispels any tendency to doubt the reality of vigorous growth and development occurring in provinces all over China ... China's Provinces in Reformhas a place in any situation in which it is important to engage seriously with current developments in China.
–Journal of Asian Business

About the Author

David S.G. Goodman is Director of the Institute for International Studies, University of Technology, Sydney

Product Details

• Paperback: 296 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (June 27, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415164044
• ISBN-13: 978-0415164047
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,659,558 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Digging Beneath the Surface, July 29, 2000

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Brandon Meyer - See all my reviews

This review is from: China's Provinces in Reform: Class, Community and Political Culture (Routledge in Asia) (Paperback)

Much of the contemporary research into China's economy is focused broadly on the features, prospects, benefits, or failures of Chinese economic reform since 1978. Subcategories of research touch upon the transition of China's economy from the failed Maoist experiments to its present `Socialist Market Economy' hybrid state, the dynamism of China's `Special Economic Zones,' or the prospects for the collapse of China's financial and industrial sectors. While the bulk of this research represents high scholarly standards, there is a lack of research that looks beneath the systemic features of Chinese economic reforms. China's Provinces in Reform addresses this concern. China's Provinces in Reform analyzes the past, present, and future economic features of selected individual Chinese provinces, with a specific focus on much-ignored provinces, including Guangxi and Zhejiang. The results are impressive, with the assembled researchers doing much to fill in the gaps in recent Chinese economic research. After assessing the future economic prospects of the provinces covered in this book, it becomes quite clear that China's drive toward economic modernization will only become more difficult in the future. The general reader should find this book accessible. Although China's Provinces in Reform was written by specialists for specialists, this volume avoids the temptation of becoming bogged down in overly technical analysis. Editor David Goodman has managed to maintain an even quality standard throughout this volume, avoiding the fate of many volumes containing contributions from multiple scholars. China's Provinces in Reform is recommended for any reader wishing to deepen their understanding of the issues facing China's economic reform drive.