Abstract
The goal of this commentary is to examine the historical framing of the “China model” discourse as compared with perceptions of the Western trajectory. It proceeds from two angles. First, the authors seek to problematise the historical basis of what many in the advanced “First World”, particularly in America, used to regard as their superior model of governance. Second, upon re-examining its historical record, the authors posit the alternative “China model” as similarly problematic.11 This double complication circumvents the question whether this recently much-discussed regulatory prototype can be abstracted and empirically concretised. The problem with this question is it presupposes the existence of an internally-coherent and objective template from which deviations or alignments can be ascertained, while in reality, the postulation of putatively superior models and their (by implication, inferior) alternatives more accurately reflect wishful thinking and psychological needs on the part of their proponents.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 166-176 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | China: An International Journal |
Volume | 15 |
Issue number | 2 |
Publication status | Published - 2017 |
Keywords
- China
- United States
- politics and government