Linehan, P. M., The Culture of Leadership in Contemporary China: Conflict, Values, and Perspectives for a New Generation

Excerpt

This scholarly contribution by Paul Michael Linehan is very timely, as the author provides insights into the cultural underpinnings of Chinese leadership in the post-Qing dynasty era. The author argues that the economic modernization of China in the post-Mao era has posed many challenges to the Chinese leadership. In responding to these challenges, it is apparent to the Chinese leadership that ideological compromise is non-negotiable. Further, the Chinese leadership looks for answers to its current challenges in its civilizational past. In other words, whether it is the question of economic inequalities, anti-corruption, environmental governance or rural-urban divide, the Chinese leadership is convinced that the solutions to these problems lie in its glorious cultural past. It is in this context that the Big Three of Chinese cultural philosophy, namely, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism, have witnessed a revival. In short, the Chinese leadership seeks to find culturally Chinese solutions to problems faced by contemporary Chinese society. …