ABSTRACT
TheChineseparty-statehasbeenacentralandcontroversialpartofcontemporaryChinesestudiessincethe1950s.Originallyachildofcoldwarsecurityand policyinterests,analysesoftheoriginsandrisetostatepoweroftheChinese CommunistParty(CCP)werecalledupontoexplainWesternconcems:howwe (America)"lostChina,"whythe"Chi-Coms"foughtinKorea,iftheywould contributeto"dominoes"fallingtoSoutheastAsianrevolutions,whattheturbulentCulturalRevolutionmeantfor"theSovietbloc"andAmerica'sinvolvement inVietnam,andwhyinthe1970sweshouldaliputtheserecenthostilities behindustoworkwith"people'sChina."
