China

The Middle Way of the Middle Kingdom

Tongdong Bai

China is a rising economic and political power. But what is the message of this rise? Tongdong Bai addresses this increasingly pressing question by examining the rich history of political theories and practices from China’s past, and showing how it impacts upon the present.

Chinese political traditions are often viewed negatively as ‘authoritarian’ (in contrast with ‘Western’ democratic traditions), but the historical reality is much more complex and there is a need to understand the political values shaping China’s rise. Going beyond this, Bai argues that the debates between China’s two main political theories–Confucianism and Legalism–anticipate themes in modern political thought and hence offer valuable resources for thinking about contemporary political problems.

Part of Zed’s World Political Theories series, this groundbreaking work offers a remarkable insight into the political history and thought of a nation that is becoming increasingly powerful on the world stage.

Contents

1. The Historical Context of ‘Classical’ Chinese Political Thought: China’s Transition to ‘Modernity’
2. Confucian Solutions to Problems of Modernity
3. Critiques of Confucian Solutions: an Overview
4. Han Fei Zi’s Political Theory
5. Later Developments of Chinese Political Theories
6. Chinese Political Theories in Contemporary World

About the Author

Dr. Tongdong Bai held a B.S. degree (nuclear physics) and an M.A. degree (philosophy of science) from Peking University, and a Ph.D. degree (philosophy) from Boston University. He was an associate professor of philosophy (tenured) at Xavier University in Cincinnati before he joins Fudan University in Shanghai in the rank of full professor. His most recent books are (both in Chinese): A New Mission of an Old State: Classical Confucian Political Philosophy in a Contemporary and Comparative Context and Tension of Reality: Einstein, Bohr, and Pauli in the EPR Debates. His research is focused on the contemporary relevance of Confucian political philosophy.