Enter the 20th Century

So that about neatly wraps up the +4000 year-story of the people and land of the middle kingdom. There are many fighting to make it a neat, clean, and linear progression leading up to the current day. Others struggle to bring light to the unknown periods of turbulence, disunity, and variety buried in the annals of this land's history.

Some would argue that this imperial legacy has had little impact on China's development over the course of the last century. With the end of the dynastic tradition, and the founding of the People's Republic of China, political and social upheaval have resulted in the modern infrastructure. The next week's posts will focus on the transitioning of governance, economy, and social structure in the P.R.C. during the past century.

We will explore events that have molded Chinese policy and opinion, and some of the trends that have been critical in China's rise to the current day. How have policies in international relations and domestic politics helped to mold the unified P.R.C.? Economic reforms have impacted the structure of business, but have they had ramifications in other portions of society (culture, urbanization, etc.)?

What is the new political economy of the 1.? billion people currently inhabiting the P.R.C. and where did it come from during the upheavals of the last 100 years. And furthermore, are there landmarks, pointers or trend lines that can be helpful in our examination of futures possibilities for China and the world.