New Books Network Minxin Pei, "The Sentinel State: Surveillance and the Survival of Dictatorship in China" (Harvard UP, 2024)
Jul 1, 2025
Minxin Pei, a Professor at Claremont McKenna College, shares insights from his new book on China's surveillance state. He discusses how historical roots and modern technology intertwine to sustain the Communist Party's power. Pei reveals the labor-intensive nature of surveillance, relying on human informants alongside high-tech tools. He underscores the delicate balance between public sentiment and state control, especially during economic crises, and the future implications of advancing AI technology on governance and repression.
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Broad Scope of Surveillance State
- The Chinese surveillance state is not just about cameras and technology but heavily depends on people and tactics.
- Secret police, informants, and party officials form the bulk of the system's power and reach.
Historic Roots of China's Surveillance
- China's surveillance roots mix ancient community responsibility traditions and Soviet policing models.
- Early limitations in resources led to reliance on volunteers for surveillance, blending traditional and modern tactics.
China’s Unique Spying Structure
- China uniquely separates domestic spying and external espionage, modeled after US and UK, not the Soviet super-agency model.
- Mao likely feared a super agency would become too powerful internally, shaping China's spy institution structure.
