Last month the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) celebrated one hundred years of existence, having survived its abusive childhood, war-steeled twenties, murderous middle-age and prosperous silver years. The Party has engrained itself so deeply into the terroir of contemporary China that the two are often difficult to separate.
A spate of books has come out to mark the anniversary, and in this bimonthly column we’re using the occasion to recommend a few of them. At the top of the list is a historical narrative by Harvard’s Tony Saich that lays out how the Party evolved, and why “as an authoritarian leader I would want to learn from China.” Also on the list are profiles of the leaders and other figures instrumental in the party’s long period of success; studies of its journey to market capitalism, surveillance control, and geopolitical clout; as well as a reminder of the historical crimes that its house is built upon.
The One to Read
From Rebel to Ruler: One Hundred Ye
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