University of Utah



Reader’s Report for Pluto Press

Enbao Wang, Book Proposal, China’s Quest for National Rejuvenation: A Chinese Perspective

Reviewer: Minqi Li

1. What do you consider to be the main argument of this proposal?

The book attempts to conduct a study of China’s rise as a new world power (or China’s national rejuvenation) and examine the underlying political, economic, diplomatic, and ideological issues, concluding with an argument that China will realize its goal of national rejuvenation by 2020 under the current strategy.

2. What is distinctive and original about this proposal?

3. How far does the proposal reflect current concerns and issues?

4. Is the proposal coverage adequate and appropriate?

The book attempts to address a very timely and important issue: China’s economic rise and its potential impact on the world. Compared to other similar projects in the English literature, this book is unique in that it almost completely relies upon Chinese official sources or academics who serve in official think tanks (based on my reading of the abstract and introduction). The introduction chapter reads pretty much like a comprehensive restatement (or, at best, a non-critical study) of the current Chinese official ideology.

Chapter 2 argues that the Chinese economy has succeeded because of the Chinese leaders’ continuous search for national rejuvenation; economic development being the first national priority; political stability; and joining the western-led world system. None of the four arguments is in any sense original and it is not clear if any of the four factors is specifically Chinese and therefore uniquely favors (or disfavors) China.

Chapter 3 argues that China is on the way to democratization. Certain changes in China’s current political structure are considered to be evidence that China is making progress towards democratization. But it is not clear what is the author’s underlying definition of democracy and if the author is aware of alternative definitions of democracy.

Chapter 4 seems to be a plan to restate the Deng Xiaoping theory with no critical assessments.

Chapter 5 and 6 argue that China’s foreign policy is one of peaceful rise and will not constitute threat to neighboring countries. How China will address the Taiwan question is left undiscussed. Moreover, it seems the author has no plan to discuss, regardless of the Chinese government’s intention, how China’s economic rise will objectively affect the global balance of power and geopolitics.

China 7 argues that China will achieve national rejuvenation by 2020. It is not clear if the author is prepared to discuss the potential economic, social, and ecological contradictions China will have to confront in the coming years. Certainly one chapter will not be enough to address all of these contradictions. Finally, national rejuvenation is curiously defined as attaining the developmental level of South Korea in 2000.

Overall, the author seems to be unaware of the Chinese or the Western left literature on China. Moreover, it is not obvious, in what way the author would make a significant contribution to the mainstream Chinese politics literature either.

5. Which readers would find this proposal of most interest?

6. On what courses might the book be used?

7. Do you know of competing texts?

The book proposal may be interesting to some English readers who have no access to Chinese sources and would like to be informed of the current Chinese official ideology and the Chinese government’s current economic, political, and foreign policies.

If published, the book could possibly be used as a supplmentary text in classes on Chinese politics.

8. Changes in structures and content

9. Would you recommend publication?

The book is not suitable for publication by Pluto Press.

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