The Economic and Political History Podcast Chinese Political Theory | Dongxian Jiang in The Civic Agora
Oct 15, 2023
In this engaging discussion, Dongxian Jiang, a political theorist from Fordham University, shares his insights on Chinese political thought and the China Model debate. He highlights the contrast in political theory training between China and the U.S. and traces the evolution of Chinese political thought, especially post-1895. Jiang explores how Japan facilitated the transmission of Western ideas and the shift from early liberalism to communism. He critiques the China Model, advocating for competitive elections, and emphasizes a rich pedagogical approach to teaching comparative political theory.
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Early Turn Toward Political Theory
- Dongxian Jiang became interested in political theory after reading Hobbes in high school and pursued philosophy despite institutional limits in China.
- He studied at Peking University, earned a master at Duke, and completed a PhD at Princeton before joining Fordham.
Curriculum Shapes Comparative Thought
- Chinese university philosophy training balances Western and Chinese traditions evenly, unlike typical U.S. programs focused mainly on Western thought.
- U.S. programs offer broader exposure to other non-Western traditions, incentivizing comparative study.
Cold War Roots And Contemporary Revival
- Chinese political thought in the U.S. rose during the Cold War as scholars sought to explain revolutionary change and later declined before a revival focused on comparative engagement.
- Contemporary work aims to bring Chinese ideas into dialogue with Western theory to expose blind spots in both traditions.
