If you are interested in books about politics, then Chinese politics books must be part of your list. These books give insights into the country’s political transitions and relations across different eras.
They typically talk about power, conflicts, human rights, and forms of governance and convey ideologies like liberalism, communism, equality, freedom, resource allocation, etc.
Without a doubt, China has seen immense growth historically and politically. If you want to deepen your knowledge and understanding of the country, we have curated a list of books to get your hands on.
China vs USA, by David Blomstrom (2022)
Politics are significant drivers of rivalry between countries, as you will see in this book. China vs USA explores the most significant international relationships, and it is a bigger lens of the evolving China/US rivalry.
Ask anyone, and they will tell you that the United States is the chief opponent of China. These two countries continue to compete against each other across different political spectrums. Whether it is through high tariff barriers or conflicting interests, the two countries have always been ready to go through it all.
This book was written for anyone who wants to gain more knowledge and discover the truth about the two countries.
The Western media has continuously demonized China, but there are still positive aspects to China. This book contains some predictions about the two countries. You will find predictions about when China’s economy will become robust as that of the United States, if and possibly when the two are going to participate in fighting WWIII.
The book also contains details about China’s speculated time to take over the silicon chip industry. This is an industry many of us know as one that the United States has dramatically battered. We, however, must not deny that China is progressing in many positive ways as time passes.
How China Escaped the Poverty Trap, by Yuen Yuen Ang (2016)
China has seen a tremendous transformation, which cannot be associated with or attributed to just one cause. It came from an interactive and contingent process the author Yuen refers to as “directed improvisation.” Many would refer to the country’s transformation as a game-changer and field shifter.
This book seeks to shed more light on China’s rise and its political economy’s development. Find out how societies considered poor can come out of poverty traps. Most political economists traditionally advise on three tips; stimulating growth first, building good institutions, or they may say some of the fortunate nations grow out of inherited institutions.
But Yuen rejects all these ideas and their assumptions to discuss a new spectrum that employs complex adaptive systems that welcome interdependence, reality, and innovation. She paints the picture using the input from interviewed entrepreneurs and bureaucrats from China.
Yuen shows what led China into its most remarkable transformation. Her suggested method is a system that employs top-down Beijing directions and bottom-up improvisation by local officials. You will get to learn two key development lessons. The first one is about transformative change from governance that empowers the creation of developing problem solutions. The other one is harnessing available resources to create new markets, even if that calls for the defiance of first-world models or norms.
The Gate to China, by Michael Sheridan (2021)
The Gate to China is a book for anybody interested in Hong Kong’s history and political relations with China and the UK. It is instrumental as a reference point for those studying Chinese history.
The book provides details about China’s rise and Hong Kong’s fall to authoritarian rule. Michael highlights all the details with a unique perspective drawing his insights from documented resources and memoirs from China and the West’s archives. He also interviews critical figures and gives information from eyewitnesses who go as far as three decades ago.
Readers are taken to the earliest days of trade and taken through the 19 thcentury Opium Wars. The book also contains information about the globalization era and how Britain handed over Hong Kong to China. You will also get to learn about how the country’s citizens fought for democracy on the streets and the final victory after the Chinese Communist Party won the race.
Even as the West tries to acquire a new China policy, you will discover how Margaret Thatcher agonized over Hong Kong’s fate. You will get details on how she sought hidden American secrets about dealing with Beijing and trusted a spymaster who was tortured by his own doubts.
China in the World, by Ban Wang (2022)
How can China’s experiences be used to impact world modernities?
In this book, Ban takes a look at the evolution of modern China, tracing it from the late 19th century to date. He merges China’s political treatise with cultural issues. The main focus is China’s tensions and connections regarding its national formation and international points of view.
Ban illustrates how ancient visions remain consistent even with China taking up and reviewing the Western nation-state form.
The idea of tianxia, which means “all under heaven,” has continuously seen significant updates. The updates value issues of equality, unity, and reciprocity. These are the main drivers of overcoming social fragmentation, interstate conflicts, and ethnic division.
Instead of China focusing on geopolitical dominance, its worldview springs from the typical worldly vision and desire to attain unity, just like the Western ideologies of humanism, enlightenment, and socialism.
Ban examines political writings, cinema, and literature to present a narrative of China’s chase for different matters such as decolonization, alternative development, and national independence.
Other discussed topics include socialist internationalism, concepts of federal form, and harmony with Third World countries. Contrary to national exceptionalism, you will see that China’s worldviews target more on and are channeled to having a shared, unified, and equal world.
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Originally published at https://joelbooks.com on April 11, 2022.
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