The Broken China Dream: How Reform Revived Totalitarianism

Pemingxin's "The Sentinel State" delves into the intricate web of surveillance and control mechanisms employed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to maintain its grip on power. The book examines the evolution of these systems, from traditional grassroots methods to sophisticated technological tools, and analyzes their impact on Chinese society. It explores how the CCP leverages surveillance to identify and suppress dissent, manage social stability, and ultimately ensure the survival of its authoritarian regime. The author provides a comprehensive overview of the CCP's surveillance apparatus, highlighting its reach and effectiveness in controlling information and shaping public opinion. The book also discusses the implications of this pervasive surveillance for individual freedoms and human rights in China.

In *Breakneck*, Dan Wang explores China's transformation into an *engineering state*, relentlessly pursuing megaprojects, contrasting it with America's *lawyerly society*. The book delves into China's economic ascent and the social engineering costs, such as zero-COVID and the one-child policy, offering insights into global geopolitics.