Synopses & Reviews
Review
"...an impressive book. It is both well-written and well-structured. It is also a work of true scholarship, and constitutes a largely successful blend of deep theorizing and detailed empiricism. His appendix on methodology is refreshingly honest and sensitive." Leslie Holmes, American Political Science Review"...addresses one of the most important issues in contemporary China....Ding's analysis is intriguing and should be seriously examined. It is a refreshing rejoinder to the often simplistic and culturally narrow concept of 'civil society' recently used in examining the origins of Spring 1989....engrossing reading." Lawrence Sullivan, China Journal"There have been several good studies done recently on political elites in post-Mao China. This book is a valuble contribution to this growing literature .... Ding's work is groundbreaking. It documents in great detail how the counterelites in China have gone about their work and is a significant contribution to the study of behavior." Steven J. Hood, China Review International
Synopsis
'This book examines the relationship between the Communist political elite and the largely anti-Communist intellectual elite during the decade of reform (1977 1989) by showing how intellectuals gained control of state institutions and organized resistance to the Deng Xiaoping regime.\n
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Table of Contents
Introduction; Part I: 1. Theoretical and comparative issues; 2. The counter-elite and its institutional basis; Part II: 3. âThe movement to âemancipate the mindâand the counter-eliteâs response; 4. âBuilding socialist spiritual civilisationâand the counter-eliteâs response; 5. Two contending patriotic campaigns; 6. Admission of the âprimary stage of socialismâand the counter-eliteâs two development models; Concluding remarks; Appendix; Selected bibliography; Index.