Government and Politics of China

This course is a broad introduction to the main issues of contemporary Chinese politics and social change. Although there is a strong focus on the reform period (post-1978), we also spend considerable time and energy on understanding the previous century of change and upheaval, including the decline of the last imperial dynasty, the rise of communism, and China under the rule of Mao Zedong (1949-1976). The course is divided into two sections. The first section covers the period from the end of the last imperial dynasty to the end of the Cultural Revolution in 1976. The second section examines the last 40 years of economic reform, looking at both how the reforms began and how they were sustained. We also investigate the many political and social consequences of reform and the changing landscape of Chinese politics. We spend some time discussing China's economic and political relationships with the United States and the rest of the world.