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The Empire of Lies: The Truth About China in the Twenty-First Century
The Western press these days is full of stories on China's arrival as a superpower, some even warning that the future may belong to her. Western political and business delegations stream into Beijing, confident in China's economy, which continues to grow rapidly. Crowning China's new status, Beijing will host the 2008 Olympic Games. But as Guy Sorman reveals in Empire of Lies China's success is, at least in part, a mirage. True, 200 million of her subjects, those fortunate enough to be working in an expanding global market, enjoy a middle-class standard of living. The remaining one billion, however, are among the poorest, most exploited people in the world. Popular discontent simmers, especially in the countryside, where it often flares into violent confrontation with Communist Party authorities. In truth, China's economic ''miracle'' is rotting from within. In this extraordinary book, Sorman explains how the West has conferred greater legitimacy on China than do the Chinese themselves. He has visited the country regularly for forty years and spent most of the past three years exploring her teeming cities and remotest corners. Empire of Lies is the culmination of these travels and perhaps the only book on China that lets the Chinese people speak for themselves.
422 pages, Paperback
First published March 30, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 7, 2022
Another Outstanding Book on China
This was an amazing book on China and their governance.
It also detailed lots of social issues surrounding China's stance on world politics.
This was a very solid book on China.
Don't miss this one!
4.8/5
This was an amazing book on China and their governance.
It also detailed lots of social issues surrounding China's stance on world politics.
This was a very solid book on China.
Don't miss this one!
4.8/5
December 5, 2012
Great refutation of neoliberalism, "free trade" and "engagement"
Economic conservatives and neoliberal "spinners" from James Fallows and Reed Hundt through Bill Clinton (singled out in one passage) are exposed as frauds, liars and enablers for a China of modern myth in this power-packed new book.
French journalist, politician and philosopher (and why can't we get that combo in America), exposes the lies of both the Chinese Communist Party and its Western apologists, which range from hardcore economic conservative American capitalists to French communists.
There's a few basic lies that underscore the scores of surface lies both the Chinese Party and its western enablers tell.
Sorman says Lie No. 1 is that capitalism will lead to democracy. He has a clear, albeit much smaller, counterexample - Singapore, led by, ironically or not, Chinese.
Lie No. 2 is that there is a "Chinese mindset," "Chinese way of business," or whatever, that is antithetical to democracy. Variants of that include references (usually wrong ones, according to Sorman) to Confucianism, etc. Counterexample? Taiwan. Daoism, repressed in China, flourishes there along with Confucianism, Buddhism and Protestant and Catholic Christianity -- along with traditional Chinese culture.
Lie No. 3 is the lie of Chinese economic statistics. Sorman says that even if you don't discount the costs of environmental degradation, Chinese growth rates are almost surely somewhat overstated, and possibly highly overstated.
Lie No. 4 might be a partial variant of No. 2, and would be the "China isn't all that bad" lie, especially if you compare it to the former Soviet Union. Sorman argues the other way around, that China is arguably more repressive than the Soviets of Khrushchev and beyond, at least in some ways.
As a result of all this, Sorman says, we really don't have that much to fear from China as a foreign power in general or a military adventurer in particular. On the economic side, in fact, he expects the rich-poor gap to be likely to worsen, not improve.
Another "sublie" would be the one that Western countries, through "economic involvement" with China, can moderate its behavior. China isn't going to be moderated by that. And, as a sidebar, Sorman estimates that about half the Western-owned factories in China are money-losers.
Read this book and get an unvarnished view of today's China.
Economic conservatives and neoliberal "spinners" from James Fallows and Reed Hundt through Bill Clinton (singled out in one passage) are exposed as frauds, liars and enablers for a China of modern myth in this power-packed new book.
French journalist, politician and philosopher (and why can't we get that combo in America), exposes the lies of both the Chinese Communist Party and its Western apologists, which range from hardcore economic conservative American capitalists to French communists.
There's a few basic lies that underscore the scores of surface lies both the Chinese Party and its western enablers tell.
Sorman says Lie No. 1 is that capitalism will lead to democracy. He has a clear, albeit much smaller, counterexample - Singapore, led by, ironically or not, Chinese.
Lie No. 2 is that there is a "Chinese mindset," "Chinese way of business," or whatever, that is antithetical to democracy. Variants of that include references (usually wrong ones, according to Sorman) to Confucianism, etc. Counterexample? Taiwan. Daoism, repressed in China, flourishes there along with Confucianism, Buddhism and Protestant and Catholic Christianity -- along with traditional Chinese culture.
Lie No. 3 is the lie of Chinese economic statistics. Sorman says that even if you don't discount the costs of environmental degradation, Chinese growth rates are almost surely somewhat overstated, and possibly highly overstated.
Lie No. 4 might be a partial variant of No. 2, and would be the "China isn't all that bad" lie, especially if you compare it to the former Soviet Union. Sorman argues the other way around, that China is arguably more repressive than the Soviets of Khrushchev and beyond, at least in some ways.
As a result of all this, Sorman says, we really don't have that much to fear from China as a foreign power in general or a military adventurer in particular. On the economic side, in fact, he expects the rich-poor gap to be likely to worsen, not improve.
Another "sublie" would be the one that Western countries, through "economic involvement" with China, can moderate its behavior. China isn't going to be moderated by that. And, as a sidebar, Sorman estimates that about half the Western-owned factories in China are money-losers.
Read this book and get an unvarnished view of today's China.
June 9, 2023
This book is from 2006 so it is a little dated but is still very interesting and not like any of the other books I have read on China. The author is a French economist and advocate of free markets and liberal democracy. He spent 2005 or The year of the rooster traveling around China and Taiwan interacting and interviewing doctors, lawyers, human rights advocates, Party officials, and Tibetans. Through these interviews and interactions the author tells a story AIDS, democracy in China, the repressive Regime of the Party and the authors thoughts on what can be done to understand China and shape it’s future to a more democratic future.
The author also criticizes and engages directly with the sinophiles that defend Maoism.
The author also criticizes and engages directly with the sinophiles that defend Maoism.
February 23, 2018
It is not so much an enjoyable read rather than a necessary one for everyone who lives under the illusion that the Chinese government is anything but autocratic, abusive and oppressive towards its people. Our occidental excessive deference toward its officials does nothing but perpetuate the suffering of the chinese citizens (if we could call them that given the state of constant disrespect for their Human Rights that they must suffer daily). I highly recommend it!
August 17, 2021
Un libro que expone las verdades de esa realidad, más sin embargo que se puede hacer aparte de saber sobre esas atrocidades, nada, porque en todo este tiempo se ha declarado en infinidad de veces sobre esos abusos y nada ocurre; China (El partido comunista) sigue en sus andanzas y nada podemos hacer aparte de leer una obra de estas y esperar que ocurra un milagro que ayude a ese pueblo tan sufrido.
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February 16, 2020With the atrocities towards the Uighur Muslims, I do believe that China is capable of those brutal oppressions towards their own people as mentioned in the book. The book gives some known shocking information about China and its authoritarian regime.
January 4, 2023
魏边吃汤饺边向我解释:「法治国家给我有可违反法律,却不用冒太大危险的自由空间。」依照魏的论点,能享受法律的保障及可能违反法律的空间,这即是民主
直到那天以前,这个年轻人只在每周五下午,跟他的工作伙伴在北京动物园交换意见,从未曾有明确的政治立场。他只在私生活领域表达过个人意志,并且跟一位「反革命」家族的藏女同居。同居在中国是非法行为,而且任何婚姻均需工作单位许可。既然魏及其伴侣无法获得婚姻许可,只好当精神伴侣以符合社会主义法律之规范。惟此一道德规范自然约束不到共产党领导人,众所皆知,毛泽东可是个嗜性狂人。
This book is outdated so much, which contains a lot of unrelated information, the author attempted to give a full view of modern China, but it makes the book lack of depth.
直到那天以前,这个年轻人只在每周五下午,跟他的工作伙伴在北京动物园交换意见,从未曾有明确的政治立场。他只在私生活领域表达过个人意志,并且跟一位「反革命」家族的藏女同居。同居在中国是非法行为,而且任何婚姻均需工作单位许可。既然魏及其伴侣无法获得婚姻许可,只好当精神伴侣以符合社会主义法律之规范。惟此一道德规范自然约束不到共产党领导人,众所皆知,毛泽东可是个嗜性狂人。
This book is outdated so much, which contains a lot of unrelated information, the author attempted to give a full view of modern China, but it makes the book lack of depth.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2009
For an autocratic communist dictatorship that steals US patents, oppresses its people, pollutes the environment, makes shoddy merchandise, curtails free speech, sells tainted food and medicine, and intervenes forcefully in the procreation of families, China gets astoundingly good press. Some of it comes from free trade types who simply see a market to exploit, but a surprising amount of the books about China are written by western academics who write about China in a neutral or positive light, even as they hang scorching anti-US bumperstickers on their Volvos. It's not as if the dark side of China is being hidden. The western press is filled with stories about China's shortcomings. However, it's difficult to find a comprehensive compedium of info to counteract the relentless happy talk.
I had high hopes that this book would be such a compedium, but it is not. This is not to say it is without value. It has plenty of information, much of it gleaned from Sorman's travels through China, and his meetings with dissidents. But the book is limited to what he sees and learns. He doesn't really go beyond the perspective of what he sees before him. This gives the book a strong personal quality, but it lacks the sweep of a Robert Conquest, Alexander Solzenizen, and other historians of modern tyranny.
I had high hopes that this book would be such a compedium, but it is not. This is not to say it is without value. It has plenty of information, much of it gleaned from Sorman's travels through China, and his meetings with dissidents. But the book is limited to what he sees and learns. He doesn't really go beyond the perspective of what he sees before him. This gives the book a strong personal quality, but it lacks the sweep of a Robert Conquest, Alexander Solzenizen, and other historians of modern tyranny.
February 12, 2012
Really stark and eye-opening book about the totalitarian horrors of contemporary China. Most people have no idea of what's going on and this is a great introduction to the communist party's abuses.
October 23, 2012
So much information that makes you angry.
September 1, 2008
God bless liberty
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews