The perfect dictatorship : China in the 21st century / Stein Ringen.

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Library Journal Review

Ringen (emeritus, sociology & social policy, Univ. of Oxford) examines the question of "whether, under the new [Chinese] leadership, the pendulum is swimming back towards more government by ideology" as it was under Chairman Mao. The author argues that the Chinese government is becoming more ideological and remains highly authoritarian, and in this work addresses party history, border disputes, economic growth, and many other issues in a manner highly critical of the Chinese government. However, Ringen admits that "[e]ven if China is not on a path to democracy, it might be turning into a more benevolent autocracy with a strong component of social protection to its public policy." VERDICT Ringen provides a wealth of information regarding Chinese leadership and policies in a style that doesn't assume prior knowledge, thereby making it accessible to a wide range of readers interested in the region.-Casey Watters, Singapore Management Univ. © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

CHOICE Review

Ringen (Oxford) presents a forceful critic of the political and economic framework of the People's Republic of China under the leadership of Xi Jinping. His argument leads to a characterization of the PRC as a "controlocracy," a sophisticated and effective blend of dictatorship and totalitarianism. Rigen discusses the key traits of the nation's leadership and political economy. The two central traits are a desire for stability and economic growth that legitimizes party rule. The author then provides an overview of the party-state apparatus as a means of demonstrating the capacity of the party to direct the decision-making process and the state to prevent any organized opposition. Ringen directs attention to the distributive outcomes of existing tax, spending, and economic policy. He finds the tax system to be highly regressive, social programs to be limited and discriminatory, and the allocation of the benefits of economic growth to be unjust. Ringen contends that existing policy favors the maintenance of the existing power structure over the welfare of the people. The author concludes that the current leadership's search for a unifying theme (ideology) portends further consolidation and strengthening of the "controlocracy." Highly recommended for advanced undergraduates and graduate students in political science and Asian studies. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty. --John M. Peek, Glenville State College