Bruce Dickson – författare

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.

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.

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.

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.