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The twelve years of Lee Teng-hui's presidency were marked by a
series of contrary trends: tremendous progress in the consolidation
of Taiwan's democracy; deterioration of the Kuomintang's popularity
and the spread of "black and gold politics" (the influence of
organized crime and corruption in the political system); a growing
role for Taiwan in international affairs; and periodic and often
intense conflicts with China. Lee himself was viewed as a heroic
figure by some and reviled by others.
In this book some of the most influential scholars on Taiwan's
domestic politics and international relations assess Lee Teng-hui's
presidency and his legacy for Taiwan's current leaders and the
political system as a whole.
The 12 years of Lee Teng-hui's presidency were marked by a series
of contrary trends such as progress in the consolidation of
Taiwan's democracy, and periodic conflicts with China. This book
assesses the complex legacy of Lee Teng-hui by looking at his
accomplishments and setbacks.
After more than twenty years of economic and political reform, China is a vastly different country to that left by Mao. Almost all the characteristic policies and practices of the Maoist era have been abandoned, with the goals of revolution in foreign and domestic policy being replaced by an emphasis on economic modernization, accompanied by radical social transformation and an increasingly significant international role. Yet, despite these dramatic changes other fundamental features of China's policy remain unchanged. This book explores the strategies of reform in China and their implications for its domestic and foreign policies. It challenges the misconceptions that no political reforms are taking place and that China is eagerly embracing capitalism. It also challenges the view that China does not abide by international norms and practices on military and security matters. Its contributors, all highly respected scholars, avoid simple generalisations about the nature of China's politics or future path, instead offering comparisons and contrasts between policy areas and regions to create a more complete picture of this complex country.
Examines topical issues of China's reform process from a political science perspective.
Following the Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989, many observers
felt that while the Chinese Communist Party had weathered the
immediate storm, its days were numbered. Combined with the serial
collapse of communist regimes behind the Iron Curtain, it seemed as
if communism was fatally faltering. The experts, however, proved to
be wrong about China. Notwithstanding the occasional minor crisis,
the nation has experienced explosive economic growth and relative
political stability ever since 1989. In The Dictator's Dilemma,
eminent China scholar Bruce Dickson explains in highly accessible
prose why the regime has survived and prospered. China watchers who
obsess over signs of the regime's eventual demise (staved off, in
their opinion, only by a cocktail of severe political repression
and high economic growth) see a fundamental dilemma for China's
rulers: the government has devised a clever survival strategy, but
the seeds of its destruction are ever-present. Dickson, though,
contends that this thesis bypasses some basic facts. The regime's
policies may generate resentment and protest, but the CCP still
enjoys a surprisingly high level of popular support. The party is
not cut off from the people either. It consults with a wide range
of specialists, stakeholders, and members of the general public in
a selective but still extensive manner. And it tolerates and even
encourages a growing and diverse civil society, even while
restricting access to it. Today, the majority of Chinese people see
the regime as increasingly democratic even though it does not allow
political competition and its leaders are not accountable to the
electorate. In short, while the Chinese people may prefer change,
they prefer that it occurs within the existing political framework.
Dickson draws upon original public opinion surveys, interviews, and
published materials to explain why there is so much popular support
for the regime. The Chinese regime's basic stability is a familiar
story to China specialists, but not to those whose knowledge of
contemporary China is limited to the popular media. The Dictator's
Dilemma, an engaging synthesis of how the CCP rules and its future
prospects, will enlighten both audiences, and will be essential for
anyone interested in understanding China's increasing importance in
world politics.
This second volume in the Arroyo Hondo series provides the results
of the archaeological survey of this large prehistoric pueblo
located just southeast of Santa Fe, New Mexico.
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