Introduction : the China impact

Abstract

Of all the competing forecasts for the 21st century, most agree that China's international ascent will have a defining impact. Nonetheless, most serious forecasts seem at a loss concerning how to capture the exact nature of this impact. China's ascent might be the harbinger of international turbulence, or portend the rise of a vast consumer market, ushering in a new era of global prosperity. Whatever view one might lean toward, China's impact will spring from the massive transformations its political economy is experiencing. Analyzing these transformations is the purpose of this volume. We will explore the domestic origins of China's emergent political economy and its global ramifications.