The Labors of Sisyphus: Economic Development of Communist China

Asia Studies, International Economics, & International Politics: Almost a half-century has passed since the inception of the People's Republic of China. In that time a charismatic leader has ruled & died, leaving a wake of destruction in his quest to transform China. Today, China fluctuates between tradition & modernity, ideology & pragmatism, between an antiquated collectivist ethic & a new spirit of individualism. It is a country precariously suspended between past & future. The book is a long overdue reassessment of the meaning & purpose of the Chinese communist revolution. Author discusses the thought of Mao Zedong & Deng Xiaoping, reform & its dilemmas, regionalism in greater China & autonomous areas, & nationalism. She also examines China's immediate present & uncertain future.