ABSTRACT
This chapter examines domains of potential discursive opposition to the authoritarian public sphere: the shadow economy in North Korea, independent print journalism in Burma, and the internet in China. It also examines few instances of physical or conceptual spaces in which citizens of an authoritarian state have relatively more autonomy to discuss political issues than they would in a more institutional public setting. The chapter presents interview evidence that questions both the autonomy of the shadow economy and its potential as a significant sphere of anti-regime sentiment. It discusses the case that the Chinese cyberspace operates as a somewhat freer version of the offline Chinese public sphere, which is heavily controlled by the state and influenced by Chinese Communist Party (CCP) ideology but still features complaints about the regime's practices and occasional criticisms of party rule. The chapter concludes that the liberating consequences of the market are complex and will only be felt gradually, if at all.
