Guthrie, Doug

Summary
This book dissects the history of China beginning on October 1, 1949 when Mao Zedong established a communist nation by weaving together political ideology, economic production and social control. The book goes into great detail and covers the various social, economic and political transformations that have occurred over the past six decades and explains the profound ways in which these reforms have shaped the development of China. According to Guthrie, one of the main reasons for China’s ascent towards becoming a world power is because of the gradual reforms that have been taking place. He argues that a slow transition from a command to market economy, rather than a rapid transformation, has allowed the Chinese to create a solid foundation for future growth.