Social Impetus, Economic Roots, and Political Logic: China’s Transformation Through the Lens of American History

Abstract

China is facing a crucial turning point in its sociopolitical development with the recent turnover of the leadership and the potential of further reform carried out by the new administration. To shed light on the future of China, this research compares the United States between 1789 and 1917 with China between 1949 and 2012. We examine the social impetus, economic roots, and political logic of the great transformations of the two countries. Through the lens of American history, we argue, first, that social discontent in the short run may push structural reform forward. Second, to transform the passive, piecemeal, and unpredictable reform into a proactive, systematic, and integral reform, we propose that China must build social consensus and a strong middle class.

Notes

See, for example, Ning Wang, “Does China Need Progressive Movements?” Renmin luntan (People forum), 4 (2012); Jun Ma and Yaping Liu, “Why Study Reform in the American Progressive Era,” Gonggong xingzheng pinglun (Public administration review) 2 (2008); Liping Sun, “China Needs Progressive Movements,” Jinrong bolan (Finance expo).

See John D. Buenker, John C. Burnham, and Robert M., Crunden, Progressivism, (Cambridge, MA: Schenkman Publishing Company, 1977), p. 5. After Theodore Roosevelt became president in 1901, reform at the federal level showed some progress. Herbert Croly’s book, The Promise of American Life, and other scholars’ work provided further theoretical support to progressivism. At the same time, the public and the media were discouraged by the negative criticism. These changes all prepared the nation for the new social consensus.

Chinese Society Blue Cover Book (zhongguo shehui lanpi shu), from Social Sciences Weekly available at <http://www.shekebao.com.cn/shekebao/zxtb/u1a707.html> (December 6, 2012), and Zhengyiwang, available at http://www.jcrb.com/jcpd/jcll/201101/t20110125_492688.html (January 25, 2011).

“Wenjiabao tan zhengzhi tizhi gaige cheng xu yourenmin de juexing he zhichi”(Wen Jiabao talks about political system reform, he said that needs people’s wake and support), Sina.com, available at http://news.sina.com.cn/c/2012-03-14/114924113799.shtml (June 28, 2012).

“Zhongguo gongchandang di shisi ci quanguo daibiao dahui” (The 14th plenum of the party congress), Xinhua Net, available at http://news.xinhuanet.com/ziliao/2003-01/20/content_697129.htm (July 1, 2012).

“Hu Jingtao’s Talk on the 30th Anniversary of the 11th Plenum of the Party Congress,” CCP News, available at http://cpc.people.com.cn/GB/64093/64094/8544901.html (July 1, 2012).

“The Value of China’s Emerging Middle Class.” Available at http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/The_value_of_Chinas_emerging_middle_class_1798. (December 8, 2012).