Publication

This publication argues that the Chinese public has become a force to be reckoned with, both for the Chinese leadership and for foreign governments. However, the author argues that the Chinese masses are not hankering for an overthrow of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) or for the avoidance of confrontations with outside countries at the expense of what they perceive as Chinese sovereignty and prestige. The publication concludes that most Chinese accept the CCP's social contract: continued one-party rule and an emphasis on social harmony, including limited political freedoms, provided the authorities continue to expand opportunities for economic prosperity.