Summary

In the Prologue, Osnos describes the rise of China over the past five decades. What had previously been a poor, strictly communist country, had seen tremendous economic growth, leading to a rise in living standards throughout the population. Despite this impressive history, Osnos argues that China remains a complicated story on an individual level. He compares this period to the American Golden Age, in which overall economic trends were extremely strong, while rampant inequality left many people in poverty. Simultaneously, their new material wealth has led many Chinese to question the strict political control that their government maintains. Having achieved some level of basic security, people are seeking greater fulfilment in their public lives. While Osnos notes that the Chinese Communist Party has benefited greatly from the country’s economic success, he argues that using this success to justify political repression is unsustainable in...