China, whose recorded history extends back several thousand years, was once the most advanced civilization on earth. But after centuries of self-imposed isolation, the so-called Middle Kingdom found itself lagging behind the world''s industrialized countries. Defeated militarily by the Western powers and Japan during the second half of the 19th century, China went through a series of reforms and revolutions before the emergence of the People''s Republic of China (PRC) in 1949. Internal political struggles stifled the PRC''s development during its early decades, but a reform program that began in the late 1970s has transformed China into an economic powerhouse and an increasingly important player on the international stage. The History of Modern China offers a comprehensive account of China''s historical evolution from a prosperous empire to a semi-colonial nation and finally to an independent Communist state. This volume also provides an in-depth analysis of the interplay between China and the outside world, as well as among China''s various political forces.

China, whose recorded history extends back several thousand years, was once the most advanced civilization on earth. But after centuries of self-imposed isolation, the so-called Middle Kingdom found itself lagging behind the world''s industrialized countries. Defeated militarily by the Western powers and Japan during the second half of the 19th century, China went through a series of reforms and revolutions before the emergence of the People''s Republic of China (PRC) in 1949. Internal political struggles stifled the PRC''s development during its early decades, but a reform program that began in the late 1970s has transformed China into an economic powerhouse and an increasingly important player on the international stage. The History of Modern China offers a comprehensive account of China''s historical evolution from a prosperous empire to a semi-colonial nation and finally to an independent Communist state. This volume also provides an in-depth analysis of the interplay between China and the outside world, as well as among China''s various political forces.

China, whose recorded history extends back several thousand years, was once the most advanced civilization on earth. But after centuries of self-imposed isolation, the so-called Middle Kingdom found itself lagging behind the world''s industrialized countries. Defeated militarily by the Western powers and Japan during the second half of the 19th century, China went through a series of reforms and revolutions before the emergence of the People''s Republic of China (PRC) in 1949. Internal political struggles stifled the PRC''s development during its early decades, but a reform program that began in the late 1970s has transformed China into an economic powerhouse and an increasingly important player on the international stage. The History of Modern China offers a comprehensive account of China''s historical evolution from a prosperous empire to a semi-colonial nation and finally to an independent Communist state. This volume also provides an in-depth analysis of the interplay between China and the outside world, as well as among China''s various political forces.