China\`s rise to global prominence is one of the most remarkable stories of our time. Millions of urban Chinese today enjoy lifestyles unthinkable in the days of Chairman Mao\`s communist regime, and the country\`s leadership has made continuing economic growth their primary goal, helping to transform China into a modern world power. Rapid change has also created tensions within Chinese society: a new middle class and a small, wealthy elite contrast with a far larger number who feel they have yet to benefit from the new economy. Corruption and abuse of power have emerged as a potent source of discontent across China\`s social divide. In this fully revised second edition, China Since 1949 traces key events from the Maoist era through the Reform period to the present day. The promises and challenges of China\`s rise are explored within the context of the country\`s remarkable transformation and the country\`s new position as an international powerhouse. The ideal text for courses in Chinese Studies.