China And Capitalism Book Review

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China and Capitalism: Book Review

In this book, China and Capitalism, David Faure covers various topics that engage with

China’s development since it changed its foreign and economic policy and embraced elements of

capitalism. In part, the book explores the impact of opening up of China to the forces of

international trade and investment. The author attempts to provide a balanced view about both

the positive and negative aspects of China’s development. In a separate context, the book

provides details on the geopolitical factors that have supported and hindered development in

China in different perspectives. The book traces the growth of China from the period when the

country launched its economic reforms initiative to the current levels, which reflects the varying

levels of growth (Faure 61). There is critical proof of growth in many areas of the Chinese

economy. Sectors such as manufacturing, engineering, and agriculture have witnessed significant

growth in the span of decades.

However, the author also shows the apparent imbalances and inequalities that continue to

subtract from the general picture of stability in many parts of China. On these score, the author

provides compelling proof of the lopsided nature of some aspects of China’s development. The

infrastructural development that has been witnessed in parts of the country is not necessarily

consistent with human development (Faure 102). In one respect, the book indicates that the rush

to develop China’s infrastructure comes at a heavy cost of the ordinary people. Part of this

revelation is that the book shows the economic divide the privileges the welfare of the upper

classes above the interests of the low class. Structurally, the Chinese society makes it difficult for

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people to make meaningful personal progress because the development model favors institutions,

corporations, and big businesses at the expense of individuals, families, and communities.

Furthermore, the book provides a compelling read of how the political and economic

sources of China’s growth continue to change in ways that have also influenced its regional

power. For instance, the geopolitical power in the Asian region has been affected significantly by

the growing dominance of Chinese power across the region. Countries such as Taiwan, Japan,

and Vietnam have come under the influence of China’s growth, which has also entailed massive

growth of its military power. However, the book explains the manner in which China has ever

sought to balance its trading relationships and military dominance in the region. Such a

complicated relationship continues to reflect in China’s dealing with Taiwan.

For a broad understanding of the dominating themes in the author’s analysis, the book

provides a sweeping analysis of the challenges that relate to urban development in places such as

Hong Kong, Guangdong, Fujian, and Taiwan. One area that receives critical attention is the

tendency to develop the urban centers at the expense of the developing areas. In cross-sectional

survey shows that vast populations in rural China endured years of starvation within the same

period that witnessed rapid development in urban centers. On the surface, the authorities want

the matter to appear as though it emerged from poor planning, however, the author explores

critical evidence that suggests a deliberate government policy to exploit the countryside in order

to enrich the urban centers. Perhaps, the matter could be studied alongside other arguments that

have sought to illustrate the fact that China’s perceived growth is at best superficial and at worst

outright scandalous.

In some way, the portrayal of China as an enduring model of progress draws on various

factors that intermingle with perceptions of lack of a human-centered policy and other issues that

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have often engaged the attention of lobbyists and welfare groups (Faure 73). However, the book

makes noticeable efforts to point a realistic picture of a country that struggles with matters of

development and a range of issues of developmental interest. Alternative analyses into China’s

developmental landscape have focused on matters of supply and demand as some of the most

significant enablers of development. In this regard, the demand for communication infrastructure

and energy is considered as the primary mover of the developmental initiatives.

In a span of decades, China has amassed physical capital that might help to propel many

of its other growth parameters in the right direction. The consequence is likely to be two fold. On

the one hand, China might make significant leaps in further physical expansion and provide

important avenues that might pave the way for more growth and expansion. On the other hand,

the country must confront the challenge of depleting oil reserves, which is already attracting

concerns from countries such as the United States, Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

Overall, this explores the rapid and continuing development in China in light of the

attendant factors that include regional and geopolitical stability. The author studies what the

development in China portends for its immediate neighbors in Asia and its traditional

competitors on the global market such as the United States. In part, it continues the debate

regarding the impact of China’s development within a nexus of factors that include its role in the

conflict-ridden parts of the world and the concerns of energy consumption. Related to this are the

usual subjects of stability and the need for international cooperation to solve the problems of

resource distribution and growing insecurities.

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Works Cited

Faure, David. China and Capitalism: A History of Business Enterprise in Modern China. Hong

Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 2006.

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