There is a huge amount written about the "Chinese economic miracle", often by outsiders who perhaps do not have a first-hand, intimate understanding of the way that society and polity works. This book doesn't suffer from those flaws and presents a unique understanding of the structures of, and interactions between the state, business and society in that country. Jin shows how it is the creative interplay between centralization and decentralization, and the learning by experimentation, feedback and evolution which explain the dynamic driving the Chinese economy. She traces this structure back to the ancient Chinese bureaucratic tradition of "lines and blocks", which allowed central government to convey directions to the smallest administrative unit.
A revelatory, myth-dispelling exploration of China's juggernaut economy
Although China's economy is one of the largest in the world, Western understanding of it is often based on dated assumptions and incomplete information. In The New China Playbook, Keyu Jin burrows deep into the mechanisms of a unique system, taking a nuanced, clear-eyed, and data-based look inside. From the far-reaching and unexpected consequences of China's one-child policy to the government's complex relationship with entrepreneurs, from its boisterous financial system to its latest push for technological innovation, Jin reveals the frequently…
The world is in a profound period of economic turbulence, where the dominance of the West in setting the global "rules of the game" are in the process of coming to an end. While Henry Kissinger once told a Chilean Minister that history was only made in the North, not the South, eighty per cent of projected economic growth in the coming decades is expected to come from non-Western countries. Puri, drawing on a term coined by the Munich Security Conference, terms this state of affairs "Westlessness". This is not where the West collapses or ceases to exist, but rather is dramatically reduced in influence in world affairs. This book examines the implications of this from the rise and increasing influence of emerging powers such as China, to the counter-reaction which has led to the creation of the "geopolitical West", which includes Japan and South Korea for example. The book is easy to read and insightful and draws on personal experience and anecdotes which give it a practitioners flavour (he was previously a diplomat) rather than being a purely academic tome. There aren't many solutions presented - perhaps that would be presumptuous - but the argument and its implications are thought provoking.
What if the sun truly is setting on the Western world's outsized influence over the rest of the planet?
In Westlessness, former UK diplomat Dr Samir Puri vividly demonstrates how in demographic, economic, military and cultural terms, we are hurtling into a far more diverse global future. Many of our certainties about the present, built on centuries of massive Western global impact, are increasingly fragile. Untold wealth is moving from the West to the East, as nations like India and Indonesia are set to reach new heights of growth and confidence. And China continues its ascent to the peak of…
How do and should be conceptualize competition between the United States and China? This is the most important bilateral relationship in the world but is in the process of fracturing. Some have argued that this means that we are now in an era of a "New" or "Second" Cold War. This book takes a systematic approach to examine whether or not this is the case. It argues that the relationship post-2011 has been characterized by "global competition; systematic implications in the international order; and, most importantly, a high level of friction falling short of direct hostilities". One of the theories presented in the book is that the New Cold War is in actuality a continuation or revivification of the previous one, although it also examines the differences, such as the primacy of technology and networks in the current version, rather than direct territorial control and influence.
The last decade or so has seen US-China relations enter a negative spiral. The evolution of this complex relationship has triggered a fast-growing debate on whether this is a New Cold War.
Building on a deconstruction of concepts such as cold wars and Cold War, this book illustrates how the relationship between the US and China has been a "marriage of convenience" - with both cooperation and competition - for years, but also that we might be close to the end of it. The US and China, it is argued, are locked in a "new type of cold war" where…
The Handbook of African Economic Development explores the diverse nature of economic advancement in Africa, spanning from pre-colonial times to the present day. Expansive in scope, it offers both orthodox and heterodox perspectives on the subject, and what it means for the continent.
Going beyond traditional metanarratives, this dynamic Handbook provides a historically grounded, data-informed analysis of African economic development, taking into account external pressures and internal structural inequalities. Contributors map out the key debates surrounding the topic before assessing historical contexts, the effect of global networks, current industries and institutions, and both rural and urban developments. The Handbook contends with the future of economic development in Africa, particularly in the context of climate change, continuing decolonisation and Africapitalism.
With a global team of authors providing a range of perspectives, this unique Handbook will prove crucial reading for students and scholars of African studies, development studies, geography and economics. It will also prove to be a fascinating read for anyone interested in non-conventional, postcolonial approaches to these disciplines.
