Autocracy 2.0 how China's rise reinvented tyranny Jennifer Lind

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Lind, Jennifer M., 1969- Author.

Series:

Cornell studies in security affairs

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Authoritarianism--China.

Authoritarianism.

Technological innovations--Economic aspects--China.

Technological innovations.

China--Politics and government--21st century.

China.

China--Economic conditions--2000-.

Physical Description:

1 online resource

Place of Publication:

Ithaca Cornell University Press 2025

Summary:

"n Autocracy 2.0, Jennifer Lind reveals how China's leaders defied expectations and propelled the country to innovation superpower status—and what that means for the balance of power and global struggle between democracy and authoritarianism. In 2008, the world watched in awe as 2,008 men pounded fou drums in unison at the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony—a spectacle that heralded China's arrival as a global powerhouse. Yet even as China's economy skyrocketed, skeptics scoffed at its ability to lead in tech, arguing that its authoritarian institutions smother true innovation. Jennifer Lind dismantles this assumption, showing that China hasn't just kept pace—it has, in fact, surged ahead. Coupling hard data with razor-sharp analysis, Lind shows that China's ascent was fueled by what she calls "smart authoritarianism": a model of governance in which autocratic leaders temper tight political control with inclusive economic measures. By balancing pro-innovation policies with tools of repression, China's leaders have obtained political control and economic growth. These smart authoritarians, Lind observes, aren't the brass-knuckled dictators of the past, they're their polished, Savile Row-clad progeny—and they are found not only in China, but in authoritarian regimes worldwide. Compelling and incisive, Autocracy 2.0 is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand China's meteoric rise and how today's autocrats are reshaping the technological frontier, governance, and the global balance of power"-- De Gruyter Brill

Contents:

The stakes and the debate

The puzzle of Chinese innovation

Smart authoritarianism

China gets smart

Crazy rich authoritarians

Staying smart

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index

Online resource; title from PDF title page (De Gruyter Brill, viewed October 22, 2025)

Other Format:

Print version: Lind, Jennifer Mary Autocracy 2.0

ISBN:

9781501784163

1501784161

9781501784156

1501784153

OCLC:

1545069417

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license