Historical Dictionary of the People's Republic of China

(Hardback, Third Edition)

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When the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) assumed power in October 1949 China was one of the poorest nations in the world and so weak it had been conquered in the late 1930s and early 1940s by its neighbor Japan, a country one-10th its size. More than five decades later, the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) is an emerging economic, political, and major military power with the worlds fastest growing economy and largest population (1.35 billion in 2015). A member of the United Nations Security Council since the early 1970s and a nuclear power, China wields enormous influence in the world community while at home what was once a nation of largely poverty-stricken peasants and urban areas with little-to-no industry has been transformed into an increasingly urbanized society with a growing middle class and an industrial and service sector that leads the world in such industries as steel and textiles while becoming a major player in computers and telecommunications. All the while the country has remained under the tight political control of a one-party system dominated by the Chinese Communist Party that despite periods of intense political conflict and turmoil governs China with a membership in 2014 of 88 million peoplethe largest single organization on earth. This third edition of Historical Dictionary of the People's Republic of China contains a chronology, an introduction, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 700 cross-referenced entries on important personalities, politics, economy, foreign relations, religion, and culture. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about China.

Reviews

This, like all the products in this distinguished series of historical dictionaries, is a very fine source. If a library has found the second edition valuable, it needs to acquire this latest update. * American Reference Books Annual *
Like other volumes in the series, the Dictionary not only confines itself to political and economic issues but also extends into many aspects of Chinese culture, such as literature, music, film and sport; however, it becomes clear been heavily affected by the political trends of the day. Not only Western students and academics but also Western politicians would do well to inform themselves better about Chinese affairs, and this substantial Dictionary will help them on their way. * s *

Author Bio

Lawrence R. Sullivan is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Adelphi University, Garden City, New York. He is author and/or translator of more than 30 books and monographs on contemporary China, most recently as co-author of Historical Dictionary of Science and Technology in Modern China (Rowman & Littlefield, 2015) .He is also a research associate at the Weatherhead East Asian Institute, Columbia University.