Since the founding of the People's Republic of China over seventy years ago five paramount leaders have shaped the fates and fortunes of the nation and the ruling Chinese Communist Party: Mao Zedong Deng Xiaoping Jiang Zemin Hu Jintao and Xi Jinping. Under their leaderships China has undergone an extraordinary transformation from an undeveloped and insular country to a comprehensive world power.<br><br><br><br>In this definitive study renowned Sinologist David Shambaugh offers a refreshing account of China's dramatic post-revolutionary history through the prism of those who ruled it. Exploring the persona formative socialization psychology and professional experiences of each leader Shambaugh shows how their differing leadership styles and tactics of rule shaped China domestically and internationally: Mao was a populist tyrant Deng a pragmatic Leninist Jiang a bureaucratic politician Hu a technocratic apparatchik and Xi a modern emperor. Covering the full scope of these leaders' personalities and power this is an illuminating guide to China's modern history and understanding how China has become the superpower of today.
