The People's Liberation Army and Chinese Politics: From the Cultural Revolution to Deng Xiaoping

How did the PLA intervene in the Cultural Revolution, and what impact did it have on subsequent Chinese politics? Based on extensive research into new sources and an institutional theory of authoritarian government, this groundbreaking essay by a cutting-edge author redefines our understanding of Mao Zedong's role, the Lin Biao incident, and the Sino-Vietnamese War, revealing the hidden path of the major shift toward reform and opening up.

Awards: ・27th (2015) Asia-Pacific Prize Special Award ・36th (2015) Developing Country Research Encouragement Award

[Book Award] [Reviews] - International Politics (Issue 191, March 2018, Reviewer: Ryo Asano) - Modern East Asian History (Issue 20, June 2016, Reviewer: Jun Julian Nohara) - China Studies Monthly (Vol. 70, Issue 4, April 2016, Reviewer: Tomoaki Anan) - Asian Economy (Vol. 56, Issue 4, December 2015, Reviewer: Norihiko Yamada) - Asia Times (November 2015) - Mainichi Shimbun (November 11, 2015) - Ajiken World Trends (Issue 240, October 2015, Award Lecture) - Nihon Keizai Shimbun (January 25, 2015, Reviewer: Ryosei Kokubu)

[Table of Contents] Introduction: What Was the Cultural Revolution? Toward a New Understanding 1. The Cultural Revolution and the People's Liberation Army: From Intervention to Governance 2. The Mystery of PLA Governance 3. Toward a New Overall Picture of a Turning Point in Chinese Politics

Chapter 1: Institutional Theory of Dictatorship Mao Zedong, the People's Liberation Army, and the Cultural Revolution 1. Institutional Theory of Dictatorship 2. Mao Zedong, the People's Liberation Army, and the Cultural Revolution 3. The Development of Military Rule during the Cultural Revolution

Chapter 2: The Formation of Military Rule — Logic and Substance 1. Reconstruction of the Party Organization and the Military 2. External Crises and the Pressures of the Wartime System 3. The Structure of Military Rule: Dispersal of Leadership Summary

Chapter 3: Military Rule and Lin Biao, the Lin Biao Incident 1. Lin Biao's Power and the Expansion of Military Intervention 2. The Formation of Military Rule and the Lin Biao Incident Summary

Chapter 4. The Continuity of Military Rule — Mao Zedong's Dilemma 1. The Harm of Military Rule—Recognizing the Problem 2. Early Military Reform 3. Dismantling the Local Power Structure Summary

Chapter 5. Toward the End of Military Rule — Deng Xiaoping and Military Reform 1. What is Reform?—Opportunities and Constraints 2. The Decision to Reform the Military—Mao Zedong's Intentions 3. The Execution of Military Reform—Deng Xiaoping's Intentions 4. The Results of Military Reform Summary

Chapter 6. The End of Military Rule — From Revolution to War 1. Deng Xiaoping's Return and the Resumption of Military Reform 2. The Expansion of Military Reform— Restoration and Reconstruction of Institutions 3. Military Reorganization and the Sino-Vietnamese War Summary

Final Chapter: Progress Toward Reform and Opening Up 1. The Formation, Continuity, and Disappearance of Military Rule—Mao Zedong and the People's Liberation Army 2. The Cultural Revolution, Civil-Military Relations, and Contemporary Chinese Politics—Implications of this Book

Appendix / References / Afterword / List of Figures and Tables / Index