ABSTRACT
China’s economic growth has proceeded at breakneck speed over the past three decades. This has led to major changes in the socioeconomic fabric of Chinese society. The most outstanding of these include the restructuring and closure of state enterprises, the growth of the private economy, the tidal wave of rural to urban migration, the growth of the middle classes and the concomitant disenfranchisement of the working classes, and finally increasing exposure to external influences through the internet, media, travel, and exchange. While the seeming miracle of China’s relentless economic growth has in general raised living standards, it has also both intensified some old social and political cleavages as well as created new sources of inequality, tension, and discontent. These social and political strains call for considerable statecraft and political adroitness. However, it is questionable whether the party/state is well-equipped to address these challenges.
