China’s Political Development in Gordon Chang’s Theory Essay

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Introduction

The political development of China has always been contested by historians and social scientists. This is the main topic that was discussed during lectures. I was able to learn about the complexities of democratic and totalitarian forces in China. The key issue is that political life in this country is largely unpredictable and one cannot determine what kind of regime will prevail in this society. This is the main thesis that I would like to advance and illustrate.

Gordon Chang’s theory

It is possible to mention the article by Gordon Chang who argues that the communist regime in China is very vulnerable to internal threats such as discontent with the authoritarianism of the state, the growing number of public protests, and corruption in public institutions (Chang 2006, p. 32). His theory of political development can be classified as a “single spark” approach. It means that political uprising can be caused by various events, actions, or decisions. There might be an event in the future that will unite Chinese people in their willingness to overthrow the communist party (Chang 2006, p. 36).

Gordon Chang’s views are different from the opinions of other scholars, for instance, James Mann. In his view, China will not democratize itself without any external assistance. I learned from lectures that the communist regime prevailed in China, because this country has long been isolated from the Western world and Chine people did not feel the support of democratic states, but the situation has dramatically changed in the age of globalization.

The evidence in support of this approach

Gordon Chang’s theory can appeal to many sectors of the business community in the United States. They may believe that a political uprising in China will adversely affect the functioning of the economy. Any instability in this country may deter American and European investors from bringing capital into China. Therefore, the Chinese economy may become less competitive. Nowadays, the market share of many American businesses has been reduced because they cannot compete with the prices that Chinese manufacturers set.

Secondly, many businesses that acted mostly as suppliers were also affected by the rapid economic growth of China. Many American companies decided to outsource some of their business processes to China. As a result, American suppliers lost their clients. So, the idea of political uprising in China suggests that the economic influence of this state may decline for a long time.

Evaluation of Gordon Chang’s ideas

Such a view has a right to exist, but one should remember that a political revolt in China may not necessarily hinder the economic development of this country. If this country democratizes itself from within, its economic system may not change significantly. Furthermore, many American businesses have partners in China, and any political or economic instability can harm them. Judging from the lectures and readings, I can tell that that the fall of the communist regime in China may have some adverse effects on the economy of China, but it may eventually recover. Certainly, it is just a hypothetical scenario, but it can be plausible.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I may argue that the political development of China is a very complex process. It may depend on a variety of factors such as the efficiency of the government, the attitudes of people, their beliefs about the future of the state, and the actions of Western countries. However, people should not assume that they can predict the eventual outcome.

Reference List

Chang, G. 2006. China in Revolt. Commentary 122 (5): 31-36.

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IvyPanda. 2021. "China's Political Development in Gordon Chang’s Theory." January 20, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/chinas-political-development-in-gordon-changs-theory/.

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IvyPanda. "China's Political Development in Gordon Chang’s Theory." January 20, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/chinas-political-development-in-gordon-changs-theory/.

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