This conversation was originally recorded in 2022 as part of the Ideas Untrapped series
It is difficult to overstate China's rise in terms of economic development in the four decades - growing from one of the poorest countries to becoming the world's second-largest economy. China has also become an important geopolitical partner to many developing countries, and it is quite common to encounter talk of the ‘‘China model’’ of development as being more suitable for many African countries that have struggled with economic transformation. Joining me on today's episode is political scientist Yuen Yuen Ang to unpack what China did during the reform years and the many ways that process is misunderstood.
She has two excellent books (linked here) on China, and she is one of the most careful, thoughtful, and perceptive scholars I have read.
