Flaptekst

Roger Garside is the author of one of the most influential and prescient books on China's early reform era, and now he has done it again with a thought-provoking book on how the country might get back on track. He dares to challenge the conventional wisdom that an economically powerful authoritarian state is invulnerable to change, showing instead how China is actually a brittle superpower where a series of events could well usher in radical change. China Coup is a must-read for anyone curious about China's future.--Ian Johnson, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of The Souls of China: The Return of Religion After Mao This book combines a story full of suspense and drama with by far the best-judged introduction I know to the facts of China today. Nothing is invented except the particular moves in the game. At a time when the faulty policies of Xi Jinping are taking China toward a developmental dead-end (at best) or conflict (at worst), how might actual named figures active today work together to replace their leader and also change direction to avert disaster? This speculation is so dramatic because, inventive though it is, it also stays close to the facts. The thrill comes not from fertile fantasy, but from deep understanding. What is described here could really happen.--Arthur Waldron, Professor of International Relations, University of Pennsylvania, and former Director of Asian Studies at the American Enterprise Institute China Coup is an astute and original analysis of the adverse dynamics that are eroding the Chinese Communist Party's capacity for long-term survival. It identifies the key drivers of regime decay, such as internal political disunity, an ideologically driven and power-hungry strongman, inefficient economic management, and geopolitical confrontation with the US. The author, Roger Garside, is a highly respected and knowledgeable analyst on China with decades of experience in 'China-watching.' He is also an excellent writer with an admirable ability to tell an absorbing story.--Minxin Pei, author of China's Trapped Transition: The Limits of Developmental Autocracy