Abstract
This introduction examines the political economy background at the end of the 1970s. After a brief examination of the political transition from Mao Zedong to Hua Guofeng and then to Deng Xiaoping, the introduction explains Deng’s strategy of carrying out radical economic reforms both in the rural areas and in the cities. The introduction also analyzes the lack of understanding of the full consequences of institutional changes on the part of reformers and choices made to initiate China’s economic reform through gradual incremental changes. The introduction then specifies the tasks of the book and provides the chapter synopses.
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Notes
- 1.
Immediately after the Anti-Japanese War in 1945, China experienced another 3-year war between the Communist and the Kuomintang.
- 2.
Despite the very low living standard, the capital accumulation rate was from 24 % in the 1950s to 33 % in the middle 1970s, with the bulk of the funds flowing into the area of heavy industry.
- 3.
The Gang of Four refers to Jiang Qing, Mao’s wife; Wang Hongwen, Vice Chairman of the state; Zhang Chunqiao, Premier; and Yao Wenyuan.
- 4.
Referring to the modernization of agriculture, industry, national defense, and science and technology.
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Yu, G. (2014). Introduction. In: The Roles of Law and Politics in China's Development. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-002-5_1
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