Of Markets and People. China’s Development and Its Place in the Shock of the Global Literature

Abstract

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The relationship between democracy, development, and globalization is one of the most critical debates of the 21st century. This essay explores this multidisciplinary conversation by delving into Odd Arne Westad and Chen Jian’s historical study of China in "The Great Transformation: China’s Road from Revolution to Reform" (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 2024). It concludes that The Great Transformation’s innovative exploration of 1970s China as a unified experience, its nuanced approach to historical sources, and its multilayered perspective make it an important contribution to the debate. In particular, it plays a pivotal role in the maturation and advancement of the so-called Shock of the Global literature and the history of the long 1970s.