ABSTRACT
China has grown from being regarded as the 'sick man of Asia' into one of the most powerful economic and political nations in the world. In its modernization programme the Chinese leadership has been able to draw upon a rich tradition of political and philosophical discourse and experience. China's view of the world, of its position within a world system, and the Confucianist traditions of rulership, have all affected the processes of creation of the modern nation-state, though these have not been the only sources of inspiration for Chinese leaders. Other sources have been Western ideologies of liberalism, Marxism and modern nationalism, but these have been creatively interpreted and applied to the Chinese conditions. The evolving economic relations within China and its relations with Western capitalism have also impacted upon the Chinese state and politics. China in the historical context is a China that has experimented with the new, but has remained conscious of its past; it has 'opened up' to the outside, while retaining a sense of its traditions and its place in the world.
