ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the domestic factors inside China pressuring for the adoption of neoclassical economics by Chinese universities. It also discusses foreign influences promoting neoclassical expansion. The Chinese leadership probably looked to Western economics to prepare managers to succeed in a market environment by limiting their gaze to "the bottom line", independent of social or political objectives. Chinese television has played a role in popularizing and normalizing market thinking. The privileging of mathematical language in Chinese economics has persisted. It is rewarded by referees in leading Chinese journals and in academic administration. The Cultural Revolution left deep scars in Chinese society across many groups. Among these were loyal Communist Party members. The American Economic Association (AEA) played a crucial role in turning Chinese economics toward neoclassical economics. It mobilized the prestige of Western academic institutions and Nobel Laureates to assume the role of expert advisor to the Chinese government.
