China's Trapped Transition The Limits Of Developmental Autocracy - Book Report/Review Example

China's Trapped Transition: The Limits Of Developmental Autocracy Minxin Pei, in the book, “China's Trapped Transition: The Limits of Developmental Autocracy”, presented a detailed study on the transformational process that the Chinese society has gone through since its transition from a communist state in the 1970s. A number of questions arise as one reads the book. What did the Chinese policy makers do right that other economies did not to create such a significant differential gap? What are the contributing factors to such a poor performance?

If the economy were to plunge, what would be the long-term effects? Does the Chinese increase in diplomatic relations have significant implications on the growth of its economy? Reading through this book, the audience can answer these questions, with the help of arguments raised by the author. The author chose to introduce the book, with a well-detailed background of the study. The introduction gives insights on the ideas addressed in the book, making his stance on China’s transitional process known; that despite the country’s economic prosperity, there lay inherent issues, which if not addressed, are likely going to affect the country’s economic growth in future (Pei 1-16).

In first topic, the author explores the contributing factors to the trapping of transitions; he democratizes the Chinese society in the second topic, giving reasons why the country is far from being a democracy. In the third topic, he looks at the disadvantages of gradualism, while the fourth chapter looks at the factors that contributed to the transition from development to projector. In the fifth chapter, he looks at the exposes the struggles within the Chinese governance structures. The research unearths the underlying challenges, which the country has found itself struggling with in its quest for economic prosperity.

Amidst the success associated with the country’s economic growth and development, the reality, points out Pei, is far from the truth. The country suffers from political and social problems, negatively affecting the very success of the country’s economy (Pei 3-4). Although the author does not provide evidence of this likely development, his economic reasoning seeks to prove it. As such, he could be either right or wrong. Being wrong is unlikely, if his arguments on the contribution of governance and political stability in a country are anything to go by.

However, he supports his arguments on the contribution of the country’s transition to economic growth through statistical data from the late 1970s to early 2000s (Pei 144-156). However, he did not provide adequate data supporting some of the major arguments he raises, making his research rather ambiguous. Nevertheless, through his analytical study, he succeeds in making his points known. His trajectory arguments, if the trend persists on the Chinese political scene, without a doubt, could lead to an economic crisis.

There are a number of inherent issues addressed in the book. The growth trajectory of the Chinese economy, compared to other countries such as that of Korea and Brazil, is far much higher. Additionally, the author observes that even through the Chinese economy is constantly growing at impressive figures; there are dangers of this growth halting at some point. The author appears rather biased on the Chinese economic development and growth, as he seeks to prove that the country’s political, economic, and social predation is on a scale so obscene that the biggest argument is not how these contributes to its growth but instead how it they contribute to its fall (Pei 168-170).

He appears certain that at one particular point, the Chinese economy will fall into a non-recovery status. Ideas presented in the research are essential for policy formulators in the Chinese government. They provide them with the necessary information on what to do and what to avoid. Policy makers in other countries using China as a reference country should use arguments raised in the research to ensure that they do not fail in their policy drafting and implementation. Works CitedPei, Minxin.

 China's Trapped Transition: The Limits of Developmental Autocracy. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press, 2006. Internet resource.