China’s road to superpower status really started in the late 1970s with a burst of reforms adopted under the guidance of Deng Xiaoping. Decisions undertaken back then unleashed processes which profoundly transformed the economy, state-people relationships and (last but not least) the very socio cultural fabric of China. Drawing on half a century of experiencing China, Professor Krzysztof Gawlikowski offers his reflection on the origins, nature and consequences of changes which occurred in the country, often challenging widely held Western opinions on the subject.
Keywords: PRC, Deng Xiaoping, Sun Yat-sen, cultural revolution, democracy, reforms, transition
