The Party Forever: Inside China's Modern Communist Elite

A century after its underground beginnings, the Chinese Communist Party today exerts far-reaching control over every aspect of private life. Beyond it's legendary control of the internet within China's borders, even seemingly non-political domains are subject to its authority: routine business deals require party approval; university courses reflect party doctrine; and party families amass incredible wealth while other enterprises are squeezed out. Experts predicted that the Party leadership would mellow as the countrys economic fortunes soar, but the next generation of political heavyweights is keeping a tight grip on the reigns of power. Today's huge new class of young professionals, whether they believe in the Partys ideology or not, are as focused as ever on strengthening the Party's role and silencing dissent. In The Party Forever, Rowan Callick goes behind the scenes to reveal the workings of Chinas political elite, introduce us to its future leaders and explore how prepared it is to meet the challenges of its new role in the twenty-first century. This is an essential and eye-opening account of this poorly understood but hugely influential player in world politics.

"As journalist Callick, Asia-Pacific editor for the Australian, notes, 'China is not a totalitarian dictatorship, but nor is it a democracy.' Here, he delineates the permeable links between the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and education, business, the legal system, the military, the media, art, pop culture, publishing, and Confucius. Informed by his experiences as a Beijing-based China correspondent and the connections he made while there, Callick offers a detailed account of CCP youth today. He describes learning to be a communist at one of the 2,000 party schools, what it's like to be one of the 3,000 delegates at the National People's Congress, how the really wealthy live, and how dissenters are treated (the book includes an interview with Nobel Peace Prize — winner Liu Xiaobo). In presenting the argument that one-party rule will continue, the book also offers brief profiles of and interviews with a diverse array of politically powerful figures, as well as ordinary citizens. Even readers who have never wondered about life in the CCP will find the book insightful and informative. Agent: Sophy Williams, Black Inc. Books. (Sept.)" Publishers Weekly Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Rowan Callick is Asia-Pacific editor for The Australian and was previously its Beijing-based China correspondent. He has also been the China correspondent (based in Hong Kong) for the Australian Financial Review, a senior writer with Time magazine, and his work has appeared in Foreign Policy. He received the Graham Perkin Award for Journalist of the Year in 1995 and has won two Walkley Awards for Asia Pacific coverage. He lives in Melbourne, Australia.