Dictatorship by Degrees

Feldman has produced well-researched and insightful works that will be useful to scholars, corporate executives, and students interested in China. * The Journal of Asian Studies *
Dictatorship by Degrees: Xi Jinping in China offers a sweeping commentary on contemporary Chinese politics and political culture. * Pacific Affairs *
Dictatorship by Degrees is an important book about Xi Jinping’s ongoing campaign to centralize the Chinese Communist Party’s power and suppress dissent.This book is highly recommended to anyone interested in learning more about the political and social environment of business as well as the prospects for democracy and human rights in China. * China Review International *
This book appeals to political scientists, journalists, as well as scholars and novices specializing in contemporary China studies. Political sociologists, social psychologists, and anthropologists will appreciate the book for its thick description of the everyday life of the business and professional classes in today’s China * China Information *
Feldman has advanced a powerful new perspective from which to view the Xi regime. The book develops a useful framework for understanding pre- and post-totalitarian governments and the tendency to backslide towards totalitarianism. * American Journal of Chinese Studies *
Drawing on classic models of totalitarianism and fieldwork, Steven P. Feldman re-interprets political trends under Xi Jinping, arguing that Xi has propelled China toward a return to the radicalism of the Cultural Revolution. Professor Feldman’s analysis provides a highly provocative, and no doubt controversial, reading of the evolution of contemporary Chinese politics and society. -- Andrew Wedeman, Georgia State University
In the post-pandemic world, as Western governments and business executives consider how to recalibrate relationships with China, Steven P. Feldman's, Dictatorship by Degrees: Xi Jinping in China, arrives with impeccable timing. Based on extensive empirical research conducted on the ground in China and on keen intellectual insights drawn from anthropology, psychology, and history, this brilliant book offers unparalleled insight into the leadership style of China's enigmatic leader Xi Xingping, the hidden jockeying for power among rival political factions, and the traumatic experiences of ordinary Chinese citizens in the age of high tech political control and manipulation. It is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand what's next in China. -- Michael A. Santoro, co-editor-in-chief, Business and Human Rights Journal; author of China 2020 and A China Business Primer
This solidly-researched and provocative book builds on Hannah Arendt's notion of ‘pre-totalitarianism’ to explore China in the Xi Jinping era. Its analysis of such wide-ranging themes as political structure, censorship, factions, and the vexed role of memory and fear offers something for everyone in an engaging and thoughtful manner. This is highly recommended reading. -- Julia Strauss, SOAS University of London
In Dictatorship by Degrees, Feldman develops an original concept of pre-totalitarianism to show how far Xi Jinping has turned China back to the total control regime under Mao. I strongly recommend this fresh and fascinating study to all who are interested in the political developments in contemporary China. -- Suisheng Zhao, University of Denver; editor of the Journal of Contemporary China