This book analyses the industrial reform measures taken by the Chinese government during the decade 1985-95 and identifies the economic and political tensions and contradictions that state enterprise reform has presented to a leadership intent on maintaining its authoritative political position.
Using government sources and interviews with economists and workers at one of China's largest state-owned enterprises (The Second Automobile/Dongfeng corporation ), Hannan concludes that the relationship between state policy and enterprise is a complex two-way process characterised by tensions resulting from conflicting priorities.