Debating Regime Legitimacy in Contemporary China

This book studies whether the Chinese political system has maintained a significant degree of regime legitimacy in the context of rising domestic discontent, in particular popular protests against socio-economic inequality and environment degradation. Part I debates the theoretical refinement and empirical measurement of regime legitimacy in contemporary China. Part II focuses on the challenges to regime legitimacy of widespread popular protests and civil activism. Part III examines the regime’s responses to these challenges, including coercive repression, adaptation, and economic performance. The chapters in this book were first published in the Journal of Contemporary China.