Social Credit

Vincent Brussee is a PhD Candidate in China Studies at Leiden University, where he specializes in policy research and the application of natural language processing (NLP) to China research. Until 2023, he was an Analyst the Mercator Institute for China Studies, Europe’s largest think tank and research institute on contemporary China. His work has been featured extensively in Foreign Policy, the Diplomat, and various other international news outlets.

“The strongest and most notable element of this study is its perseverant empirical legwork. … Consequently, it is an important reference guide not only for scholars and students studying China, but also for policymakers who want to learn more about the contemporary methods of social and economic governance in China.” (İlkay Ata Yildiz, China Information, Vol. 38 (2), July, 2024)“The book’s fresh and engaging style, balancing personal notes with in-depth policy analysis, renders it an enjoyable read.” (Marianne von Blomberg, The China Quarterly, November 6, 2023)

• Chapter 1. Introduction.- Chapter 2. The Social Credit System’s emergence and global roots.- Chapter 3.  The Policy Umbrella of Social Credit.- Chapter 4. Limitless Expansion, Fragmented Development: A Policy History of the Social Credit System (2002-2020).- Chapter 5: No Credit for Culprits.- Chapter 6. One Step Back to Put More Forward: The Covid-19 Pandemic and Its Aftermath.- Chapter 7. Mythbusters: anatomy of social credit scoring.- Chapter 8. The future of the Social Credit System.