Conditional Democracy: The Contemporary Debate on Political Reform in Chinese Universities

This book focuses on politically committed Chinese academics who have taken part in the debate on political reform in China since the 1990s. Within the boundaries dictated by (self-)censorship, the debate on political reform in Chinese universities reveals the great diversity of aspirations for change among the elites. Mapping this debate enables us to understand the various conceptions of the current regime held by intellectuals throughout China, and to identify the fault lines that have materialized since the June Fourth repression. Analysing these scholars’ discussions, which have an impact on political elites and public opinion, and which reflect their respective yearnings and fears, albeit in a distorted manner, is an engaging angle from which to appreciate the diversity of approaches to the issue of China’s democratisation.