China’s Development Experience in Comparative Perspective

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While comparing China’s economic development policies to those of other developing countries, this book clearly identifies the features that makes China unique. A group of international experts presents essays that summarize the general characteristics of the Chinese economy, beginning with an overview of the development process in the Third World as a whole. They then examine three areas of China’s development program that are most frequently cited as success stories—income distribution, industrial technology, and public health—carefully documenting the degree to which these successes depend on the political and social environment. Finally, they discuss several themes of China’s contemporary development strategy and their historical antecedents, speculating on the transferability of China’s experience to other Third World countries. Synthesizing economic theory and empirical documentation, this book offers an analysis of China’s fundamental organization that will not soon be outdated.