China in the Late Leninist Era

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Abstract
In the course of the 20th century, the world's inhabitants have shared one fate in common. Sooner or later, they and their society have been plunged into the maelstrom of accelerating change, an upheaval at the root of which are the explosive developments in science and technology. The global revolution has unfolded in different ways, and has had diverse ideological underpinnings, structural attributes and institutional foundations. Other variables of great significance are timing and leadership. The timing of the revolutionary effort together with the stage of preparation on the part of the society involved have had a major influence in determining the degree of coercion likely to be employed. If a reluctant, ill-prepared society is pulled into modernity largely against its will, significant force has often been required, although the creation of a new faith through intensive ideological indoctrination has reduced the quotient of coercion in certain instances. Timing has also determined the develop-mental models available as well as the prevailing ideological currents, and hence the influences likely to carry the greatest weight with elites committed to change.