China’s capitalist transformation : The rhetoric that mattered

This book provides a rare account of China’s market reform in the own words of the Chinese: politicians, intellectuals, the media, and journalists. The Chinese rhetoric?complex, ironic, argumentative, and abstruse?may hold the key to understanding China’s unique style of elite politics, state-citizen relationship, and institutional development. Topics include the establishment and change of the stock market and the recent institutionalization of the private equity industry. Rhetoricizing the Chinese capitalist transformation provides a glimpse into how the Chinese minds work as Chinese people participate in the process of changing the country and themselves. Adopting both an indigenous perspective and an outsider view on China, this book serves as a guide for anyone interested in learning how Chinese reason, persuade, debate, and resist.

"An outstanding contribution to understanding one of the most dramatic changes of the 20^th century. Li provides a unique insider’s look at how China’s transformation was framed, discussed, and debated within the party as it reshaped its economy to become more capitalist."　
Professor Paul Hirsch, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University

"This excellent book provides a rare combination of a thorough and in-depth analysis of one of the most transformative chapters in China’s history in the last century and a very well-written story with fascinating insights. Yuan Li masterfully disentangles the multiple layers of rhetoric and meaning and their implications for the transformation process."
Professor Renate Meyer, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business and CBS Copenhagen Business School.