The China Question - Democracy, Authoritarianism, and Global Rivlary

For centuries, Western scholars portrayed China either as a land of superior morality or as a formidable country of pagans that posed a global threat to Western values. The geopolitics of the last few decades facilitated more nuanced perspectives. Some believed global capitalism would support gradual democratization, others that liberal democracy was incompatible with Chinese governance. Either way, the “China Question” has underpinned policy approaches, academic analysis, and public understanding of China’s authoritarian model. Yet today, as economic pressures mount and US-China rivalry intensifies, this framework faces unprecedented scrutiny.

How are current economic crises—both within China and globally—testing the resilience of China’s authoritarian system? Why do assumptions about democracy’s incompatibility with China persist despite historical evidence of democratic movements and aspirations? What role does escalating US-China competition play in reinforcing or undermining China’s current political trajectory? How might internal contradictions within China’s model create openings for political transformation that conventional wisdom overlooks?

The renowned scholar Ho-Fung Hung explores these questions in conversation with Sanjay Ruparelia.