Two popular interpretations of China persist today. One is that of a decaying Leninist hierarchy and the other of a likely democratizing nation destined for liberal pluralism; this book, on the other hand, provides a balanced assessment of China’s communist rule, its viability as well as its prospect of democracy.

The People’s Congresses and Governance in China presents a complex but convincing analysis of the transformation of governance in China. As the first systemic and theoretical study of China’s provincial legislatures, it draws our attention to one of the most promising growth points in China’s changing constitutional order. Through in-depth and first-hand research, the author provides a comprehensive explanation about why the provincial legislatures have acquired institutional maturation and expanded power in the context of Chinese transitional political economy. The book portrays an innovative pattern of legislative development, sums up pragmatic local strategies for market creation, and identifies multiple dynamics for promoting accountability and democracy. Based upon the case study of provincial legislatures, the author reveals the formation of a new mode of governance in China’s national politics: the network structure featuring institutional arrangements and the mohe (co-operation through competition) pattern of interaction abided by the major power players.

Adding the biggest legislative system to our understanding of representational institutions, this book will be of interest to parliamentary scholars and parliamentarians who are concerned with the role of parliaments in transitional politics and economies of both post-communist and developing countries. It will also appeal to students and researchers of Chinese politics, governance, and Asian studies.