Synopses & Reviews
Growing Out of the Plan is a comprehensive study of China's economic reforms, from their beginnings at the end of 1978 through the completion of many of the initial reform measures during 1993. The book focuses on industry and macroeconomic policy, using these to describe reform strategy in its entirety. In addition to being a thorough and reliable guide to the specifics of Chinese economic reform, the book highlights the distinctive features of Chinese reforms that differentiate them from those in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. The author argues that the success of the reforms is not the result of carefully plotted strategy, although in hindsight the reforms seem to have added up to a coherent package. Perhaps most important in its connotations for other changing economies, the Chinese experience shows that gradual change of a command economy is feasible.
Review
"...China's reforms have been reactive and improvisational; yet without a grand design ex ante, and ex post coherence has emerged. Naughton succeeds in illuminating this coherence and in capturing a feeling of the momentum that has propelled reform forward....This book fills a real need. It combines thorough versing in the Chinese literature with solid economic analysis to yield an insightful interpretation of China's reform history." China Review International"Combining analytical rigor with a rare grasp of the historical context, he not only provides an excellent review of China's path of reform but also alerts us to the various other byways down which China's leaders have taken the reform process." World Politics"Naughton's narrative of China's economic reforms from 1978 to 1993 is the single most coherent, convincing, and readable analysis of this labyrinthine process." Choice"Growing Out of the Plan is an important work for those interested in understanding the full complexity of China's economic transformation over the last decade and a half. More important, the book represents a breakthrough study in modern economic development patterns by challenging the theory that socialist economic reform must be quick, merciless, and carefully targeted." The China Business Review"The Chinese reform process is a fascinating story, and Naughton tells the story well. Students of China will find the book interesting and valuable.' Samuel Ho, Pacific Affairs
Synopsis
A comprehensive study of China's economic reforms from 1978 to 1993.
Synopsis
This book is a comprehensive study of China's economic reforms, from their beginnings at the end of 1978 through the completion of many of the initial reform measures during 1993. It focuses on industry and macroeconomic policy, using these to describe reform strategy in its entirety. In addition to being a thorough and reliable guide to the specifics of Chinese economic reform, the book highlights the distinctive features of Chinese reforms that differentiate them from those in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 349-367) and index.
Table of Contents
Introductory; Preface; Introduction; 1. The command economy and the China difference; Phase One. The Bird in the Cage, 1979-1983: 2. Crisis and response: initial reorientation of the economy; 3. State sector reforms; 4. Growth of the non-state sector; Phase Two. Reforms Take Off, 1984-1988: 5. Reformulation and debate: the turning point of 1984; 6. The second phase of reform; 7. Rapid growth and macroeconomic imbalance; Phase Three. To a Market Economy: 8. The post-Tiananmen cycle of retrenchment and renewed reform; 9. Conclusion.