The Revival of China's Entrepreneurial Class in Historical-Comparative Perspective

This book examines the evolution of Chinas entrepreneurial class and prospects for entrepreneurial-driven political institutional change. The author argues that decades of economic reforms and social transformation have illuminated a fundamental contradiction in contemporary Chinaa rule by law closed political system governing over an emergent entrepreneurial class requiring property protectionthat requires resolution. The author argues that the Chinese Communist Party has one of two choices: crush the entrepreneurial class, and with it, economic growth and the partys legitimacy, or cede to the entrepreneurs demands for the rule of law and political representation. The authors interviews with Chinese entrepreneurs show the rise of liberal qualitiesrationality, autonomy, property-law interests, political awareness and political agencyamong Chinas new entrepreneurial class. As such, the author believes that this liberal trajectory among Chinas entrepreneurs, in conjunction with a lack of viable alternatives for the party, will translate into a new Chinese liberalism and ultimately political change.