Calamity and Reform in China

"This is a very impressive achievement. What is so good about it is the theoretical and statistical sophistication, the emphasis on regional variation, and the learning it displays, not only with regard to China but in general. It contains much new material of enormous value."--Thomas P. Bernstein, Columbia University
"On the basis of a wealth of primary and secondary sources, the book provides a vigorous treatment of the origin and consequences of the Great Leap Forward as well as the institutions and processes involved in China's rural reforms. Yang's book is an impressive scholarly addition to our study of contemporary Chinese politics."--Journal of Asian Studies

Introduction; Part I. Context: 1. The path to disaster; 2. The political economy of the Great Leap famine; Part II. Catastrophe and Reform: 3. The Great Leap famine and rural liberalization; 4. The Cultural Revolution interlude; 5. Structural incentives for rural reform; 6. The political struggle over reform; Part III. State and Rural Society Under Reform: 8. Rural industrialization, political empowerment, and state policy; Conclusions and reflections; Appendix; Notes; Bibliography; Index.