Collective Democracy Political and Legal

Democracy literally means "rule by the people" in ancient Greek. The modern concept of democratic government sprang from ideas and institutions in medieval Europe as related to divine and natural rights and common law to restrain the arbitrary powers of kings and the Pope in the areas of taxation and religious belief. It evolved into a series of institutions and procedures to ensure representation of the citizen in the legislature, the freedom of speech and religion and the guarantee of individual rights.

The author finds "collective democracy" as practised in the People's Republic of China a departure from the Western norm. It does not purport to enhance individual human rights; rather, it aims at preserving and promoting a sense of community so that no one will be neglected in the process of political development and social reform and that there will be no self-centred boundaries separating members within the society. The book allows readers to appreciate and to develop a deeper understanding of legal and political reforms being undertaken inside China.

Chih-yu Shih received his master degree from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University (1984) and a doctorate degree from the Graduate School of International Studies at the University of Denver(1988). He teaches Chinese politics, political psychology, and postcolonial feminism at National Taiwan University. He has had over thirty publications both in English and Chinese, including The Spirit of Chinese Foreign Policy (London), State and Society in China's Political Economy (Boulder, USA), and Symbolic War (Taipei). Being a Miao minority, his current research interest is Chinese civic culture, particularly that in minority areas.