Yongnian Zheng is Professor and Director of the Institute for International Affairs, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China.

• List of Figures List of Tables Preface and Acknowledgments PART ONE“Oriental Despotism” 1 “Oriental Despotism” and Its Problems in China Studies 2 “Oriental Despotism” and Its Origins: Europe and Imperial China 3 “Oriental Despotism” From the Ancient Greeks to the Enlightenment 4 “Oriental Despotism” Since the 19th Century PART TWOThe Chinese Body Politic: Its Formation and Evolution 5 Secularism and Political Order 6 “Social Natural Law” 7 The Emperorship 8 Institutional Differentiation and “Internal Pluralism” 9 Imperial Politics and Its Constraints 10 Meritocracy and State–Society Connections 11 Education, Social Distinction, and Equality 12 Meritocratic Institutions and Their Evolution 13 Inequality, Representation, and Responsibilities 14 Bureaucrats and “Civil Society” PART THREEModern Transformation 15 Modern Revolution and Political Power 16 Nationalism, Sovereignty, and Modern Party Power 17 “Organizational Emperorship” PART FOURContemporary Institutions 18 Structuring Politics 19 The “New” Paradigm 20 Bringing Back the Power of Supervision 21 Party–Society Linkages 22 A “Party in Society” 23 Society and Interest Representation 24 A Theory of Moral Loyalty 25 The Chinese State and Western State Products 26 Political Reforms: Grand Discourse and Little Truth 27 Forms of Political Reform PART FIVEThe Future of the Chinese Body Politic 28 A Tocquevillian Dilemma 29 Scenarios of Political Change Bibliography Index

Yongnian Zheng is Professor and Director of the Institute for International Affairs, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China.

• List of Figures List of Tables Preface and Acknowledgments PART ONE“Oriental Despotism” 1 “Oriental Despotism” and Its Problems in China Studies 2 “Oriental Despotism” and Its Origins: Europe and Imperial China 3 “Oriental Despotism” From the Ancient Greeks to the Enlightenment 4 “Oriental Despotism” Since the 19th Century PART TWOThe Chinese Body Politic: Its Formation and Evolution 5 Secularism and Political Order 6 “Social Natural Law” 7 The Emperorship 8 Institutional Differentiation and “Internal Pluralism” 9 Imperial Politics and Its Constraints 10 Meritocracy and State–Society Connections 11 Education, Social Distinction, and Equality 12 Meritocratic Institutions and Their Evolution 13 Inequality, Representation, and Responsibilities 14 Bureaucrats and “Civil Society” PART THREEModern Transformation 15 Modern Revolution and Political Power 16 Nationalism, Sovereignty, and Modern Party Power 17 “Organizational Emperorship” PART FOURContemporary Institutions 18 Structuring Politics 19 The “New” Paradigm 20 Bringing Back the Power of Supervision 21 Party–Society Linkages 22 A “Party in Society” 23 Society and Interest Representation 24 A Theory of Moral Loyalty 25 The Chinese State and Western State Products 26 Political Reforms: Grand Discourse and Little Truth 27 Forms of Political Reform PART FIVEThe Future of the Chinese Body Politic 28 A Tocquevillian Dilemma 29 Scenarios of Political Change Bibliography Index

Yongnian Zheng is Professor and Director of the Institute for International Affairs, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China.

• List of Figures List of Tables Preface and Acknowledgments PART ONE“Oriental Despotism” 1 “Oriental Despotism” and Its Problems in China Studies 2 “Oriental Despotism” and Its Origins: Europe and Imperial China 3 “Oriental Despotism” From the Ancient Greeks to the Enlightenment 4 “Oriental Despotism” Since the 19th Century PART TWOThe Chinese Body Politic: Its Formation and Evolution 5 Secularism and Political Order 6 “Social Natural Law” 7 The Emperorship 8 Institutional Differentiation and “Internal Pluralism” 9 Imperial Politics and Its Constraints 10 Meritocracy and State–Society Connections 11 Education, Social Distinction, and Equality 12 Meritocratic Institutions and Their Evolution 13 Inequality, Representation, and Responsibilities 14 Bureaucrats and “Civil Society” PART THREEModern Transformation 15 Modern Revolution and Political Power 16 Nationalism, Sovereignty, and Modern Party Power 17 “Organizational Emperorship” PART FOURContemporary Institutions 18 Structuring Politics 19 The “New” Paradigm 20 Bringing Back the Power of Supervision 21 Party–Society Linkages 22 A “Party in Society” 23 Society and Interest Representation 24 A Theory of Moral Loyalty 25 The Chinese State and Western State Products 26 Political Reforms: Grand Discourse and Little Truth 27 Forms of Political Reform PART FIVEThe Future of the Chinese Body Politic 28 A Tocquevillian Dilemma 29 Scenarios of Political Change Bibliography Index