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Since the late 1970s China has undergone a great transformation, during which time the country has witnessed an outpouring of competing schools of thought. This book analyzes the major schools of political thought redefining China´s transformation and the role Chinese thinkers are playing in the post-Mao era.

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Introduction: Ideas and China´s Transformation PART I: CONTEMPORARY CHINESE POLITICAL THOUGHT 1. Liberalism 2. Neo-authoritarianism 3. China´s New Left 4. Democratic Socialism 5. New Confucianism PART II: INTELLECTUAL DISCOURSE ON CRITICAL ISSUES 6. Chinese Intellectual Discourse on Democracy 7. Debating China´s Economic Reform 8. Debate over Legitimacy 9. Conclusion: Fragmentation and Consensus

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"The book provides a comprehensive and profound analysis of the ideational factors in contemporary Chinese politics. ... The book will interest students of a number of academic disciplines, including Chinese politics, political theory, and political philosophy. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above." (X. Li, Choice, Vol. 53 (7), March, 2016)

"This book is by far the most comprehensive and thorough study of contemporary Chinese political thought. ... The author has done a marvelous job in presenting the five main intellectual discourses in China. His analysis enhances our understanding of Chinese political development and contributes to the existing literature on Chinese political theory in a significant way. It is a timely publication that will help policymakers, researchers and students of China studies to understand the role of ideas in China´s reform." (Baogang Guo, Journal of Chinese Political Science, Vol. 21, 2016)

"He Li´s book is an excellent primer ... presented in an easy and readable style that displays a good teacher´s gift for explaining in a simple manner without losing either substance or nuance. ... This book must be a required reading for all students of political science and economics everywhere and not just for students of China. ... There are tables interspersed throughout the text, summarising and comparing complex arguments of the various schools ... ." (Jabin T. Jacob, China Report, Vol. 52 (4), 2016)

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He Li is Professor of Political Science at Merrimack College, USA. His books include From Revolution to Reform: A Comparative Study of China and Mexico (2003), Sino-Latin American Economic Relations (1991), and Chinese Labyrinth: Exploring China´s Model of Development (co-edited with Baogang Guo, 2011). He is also the series editor of the Modern Chinese Thinkers series.

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