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The long history of China’s relationship between stability, diversity, and prosperity, and how its current leadership threatens this delicate balance
Chinese society has been shaped by the interplay of the EAST—exams, autocracy, stability, and technology—from ancient times through the present. Beginning with the Sui dynasty’s introduction of the civil service exam, known as Keju, in 587 CE—and continuing through the personnel management system used by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)—Chinese autocracies have developed exceptional tools for homogenizing ideas, norms, and practices. But this uniformity came with a huge downside: stifled creativity.
Yasheng Huang shows how China transitioned from dynamism to extreme stagnation after the Keju was instituted. China’s most prosperous periods, such as during the Tang dynasty (618–907) and under the reformist CCP, occurred when its emphasis on scale (the size of bureaucracy) was balanced with scope (diversity of ideas).
Considering China’s remarkable success over the past half-century, Huang sees signs of danger in the political and economic reversals under Xi Jinping. The CCP has again vaulted conformity above new ideas, reverting to the Keju model that eventually led to technological decline. It is a lesson from China’s own history, Huang argues, that Chinese leaders would be wise to take seriously.
The long history of China’s relationship between stability, diversity, and prosperity, and how its current leadership threatens this delicate balance
Chinese society has been shaped by the interplay of the EAST—exams, autocracy, stability, and technology—from ancient times through the present. Beginning with the Sui dynasty’s introduction of the civil service exam, known as Keju, in 587 CE—and continuing through the personnel management system used by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)—Chinese autocracies have developed exceptional tools for homogenizing ideas, norms, and practices. But this uniformity came with a huge downside: stifled creativity.
Yasheng Huang shows how China transitioned from dynamism to extreme stagnation after the Keju was instituted. China’s most prosperous periods, such as during the Tang dynasty (618–907) and under the reformist CCP, occurred when its emphasis on scale (the size of bureaucracy) was balanced with scope (diversity of ideas).
Considering China’s remarkable success over the past half-century, Huang sees signs of danger in the political and economic reversals under Xi Jinping. The CCP has again vaulted conformity above new ideas, reverting to the Keju model that eventually led to technological decline. It is a lesson from China’s own history, Huang argues, that Chinese leaders would be wise to take seriously.
Yasheng Huang is the Epoch Foundation Professor of Global Economics and Management at the MIT Sloan School of Management. His books include Capitalism with Chinese Characteristics: Entrepreneurship and the State. He lives in Brookline, MA.
“Riveting.”—Tunku Varadarajan, Wall Street Journal
“Comprehensive and scholarly as one might expect from an economics
professor at MIT. . . . [Huang’s] wry dedication—‘to the autocrats
of the world. They give us so much to write about’—says it
all.”—James Crabtree, Financial Times
“The rigours of imperial China’s civil-service examination system .
. . are described in a new book by Yasheng Huang. . . . Arguing
that the exams stifled innovation in ancient times, Professor Huang
sees lessons for Xi Jinping’s China.”—The Economist
A Foreign Affairs Best Book of 2023
“One of those lamentably rare books that ask the really big
questions, and that offer pretty bold original ideas about how and
why China is the way that it is.”—Kaiser Kuo, China Project
“This book is a sweeping inquiry that both China scholars and a
general audience will value—not the least for Dr. Huang’s wit,
colorful observations, and direct style. . . . It is a must-read
for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of China today and where
it is headed.”—Ann Scott Tyson, Christian Science Monitor
“Besides its breathtakingly original, brilliant and insightful
theoretical argument, Huang’s book is also notable for its
methodological virtuosity. It makes use of extensive comparative
examples and robust statistical analysis to illustrate how the
introduction of an institution has fundamentally altered Chinese
history. Written in elegant and accessible style, this book will be
a perfect textbook for both graduate and undergraduate students. .
. . An instant classic and an inspiring example of theoretical
ambition and scholarly excellence.”—Minxin Pei, China Quarterly
“A compelling and easily digestible argument.”—Brad Glosserman,
Japan Times
“Thought-provoking . . . illuminating. This book is a good example
of how social sciences and historical investigations can provide
useful insights into governance, economics, and politics that a
less interdisciplinary approach would miss.”—Xiang Gao, Australian
Outlook
“An engaging and informative book that blends historical resonance
with modern China, and highlights the more alarming idiosyncrasies
and risks of Xi’s China.”—George Magnus, author of Red Flags: Why
Xi’s China Is in Jeopardy
“An extraordinary, innovative argument for a key question: Why has
China’s autocratic system proved so sustainable? Paying particular
attention to China’s traditional examination system, Huang provides
a powerful new explanation.”—Rana Mitter, author of China’s Good
War: How World War II Is Shaping a New Nationalism
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