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The Party Forever: Inside China's Modern Communist Elite
A century after its underground beginnings, the Chinese Communist Party today exerts far-reaching control over every aspect of private life. Beyond its legendary control of the internet within China's borders, even seemingly non-political domains are subject to its routine business deals require party approval; university courses reflect party doctrine; and party families amass incredible wealth while other enterprises are squeezed out. Experts predicted that the Party leadership would mellow as the country's economic fortunes soar, but the next generation of political heavyweights is keeping a tight grip on the reins of power. Today's huge new class of young professionals, whether they believe in the Party's ideology or not, are as focused as ever on strengthening the Party's role and silencing dissent. In The Party Forever , Rowan Callick goes behind the scenes to reveal the workings of China's political elite, introduce us to its future leaders and explore how prepared it is to meet the challenges of its new role in the twenty-first century. This is an essential and eye-opening account of this poorly understood but hugely influential player in world politics.
- GenresChinaPoliticsNonfiction
272 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 2013
11 people are currently reading
273 people want to read
About the author
Rowan Callick
2 books3 followersMelbourne based author and columnist Rowan Callick is an Industry Fellow at Griffith University's Asia Institute.
He grew up in England, graduating with a BA Honours from Exeter University. He worked for a daily newspaper in the north east before moving in 1976 to Papua New Guinea, where he became general manager of a locally owned publishing, printing and retail group. In 1987 he moved to Australia, working for almost 20 years for The Australian Financial Review, finally as Asia Pacific Editor. He was China Correspondent for the AFR, based in Hong Kong, from 1996-2000. From 1990-1992 he was a senior writer with Time magazine. He joined The Australian at the start of 2006, as China Correspondent. After three years in Beijing, he became The Australian's Asia-Pacific Editor in 2009. He returned to Beijing as China Correspondent from the start of 2016 to mid 2018, when he left The Australian to develop a new role as a public speaker, author and columnist - continue to write regularly for the newspaper.
He was appointed in 2013 a Fellow of the Australian Institute of International Affairs. He was a member of the National Advisory Council on Aid Policy from 1994-96, a board member of the Australia Indonesia Institute from 2001-2006, and a member of the Foreign Minister's Foreign Affairs Council from 2003-2006. He is a member of the Advisory Boards of La Trobe University's Asia institute and of its China Studies Department. He is a governor of the Foundation for Development Cooperation. He is an examining chaplain for the Anglican Archdiocese of Melbourne.
He has published three books published in both English and Chinese: "Comrades & Capitalists: Hong Kong Since the Handover" in 1998 by the University of NSW Press; "Channar: A landmark venture in iron ore"; and “Party Time: Who Runs China and How” published in February 2013 by Black Inc in Australia, then internationally in September 2013 by Palgrave Macmillan as "The Party Forever". He won the Graham Perkin Award for Journalist of the Year for 1995, and two Walkley Awards, for Asia-Pacific coverage, for 1997 and 2007. He was awarded an OBE on recommendation of the Papua New Guinea Government in 2015. He is married with two children.
He grew up in England, graduating with a BA Honours from Exeter University. He worked for a daily newspaper in the north east before moving in 1976 to Papua New Guinea, where he became general manager of a locally owned publishing, printing and retail group. In 1987 he moved to Australia, working for almost 20 years for The Australian Financial Review, finally as Asia Pacific Editor. He was China Correspondent for the AFR, based in Hong Kong, from 1996-2000. From 1990-1992 he was a senior writer with Time magazine. He joined The Australian at the start of 2006, as China Correspondent. After three years in Beijing, he became The Australian's Asia-Pacific Editor in 2009. He returned to Beijing as China Correspondent from the start of 2016 to mid 2018, when he left The Australian to develop a new role as a public speaker, author and columnist - continue to write regularly for the newspaper.
He was appointed in 2013 a Fellow of the Australian Institute of International Affairs. He was a member of the National Advisory Council on Aid Policy from 1994-96, a board member of the Australia Indonesia Institute from 2001-2006, and a member of the Foreign Minister's Foreign Affairs Council from 2003-2006. He is a member of the Advisory Boards of La Trobe University's Asia institute and of its China Studies Department. He is a governor of the Foundation for Development Cooperation. He is an examining chaplain for the Anglican Archdiocese of Melbourne.
He has published three books published in both English and Chinese: "Comrades & Capitalists: Hong Kong Since the Handover" in 1998 by the University of NSW Press; "Channar: A landmark venture in iron ore"; and “Party Time: Who Runs China and How” published in February 2013 by Black Inc in Australia, then internationally in September 2013 by Palgrave Macmillan as "The Party Forever". He won the Graham Perkin Award for Journalist of the Year for 1995, and two Walkley Awards, for Asia-Pacific coverage, for 1997 and 2007. He was awarded an OBE on recommendation of the Papua New Guinea Government in 2015. He is married with two children.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 4, 2016
really, really well-written analysis with interesting, discrete chapters and modern, relevant examples. well done, extremely interesting insight.
September 20, 2013
I received an advance copy of The Party Forever as part of the Goodreads giveaway program. I've been fascinated by the inner workings of the Chinese Communist Party for years and visits to Beijing in years past just heightened that as I walked around the exterior of the Party compound of Zhongnanhai and speculated on what life must be like for those inside. As a result I was excited to receive this book and to see what Rowan Callick could share that went beyond the normal flow of articles in The Economist or NYT on the topic.
Unfortunately, while there were plenty of interesting snippits especially towards the end of the book in chapters such as "Life At The Top", I found the book to be less coherent and cohesive than I was expecting. It reads much more like a series of disjointed short articles than a complete book with a recurring and well structured point of view. After awhile I began to think this was more written in a "serial" manner with each chapter trying to stand on it's own. That perception was heightened by the author's tendency to repeat basic facts about subjects like Zhongnanhai in multiple and sometimes successive chapters as if to fluff up the length of the book. There were also editing gaffes such as being inconsistent in the number of members of the Central Committee changing from 9 to 7 and then back again.
Overall, I applaud the effort to write as an outsider about one of the most insular of cliques and there is certainly a lot to learn and take away from this book and for people with a real interest in the subject this is a worthy additional resource. However for the casual reader the lack of a clear central recurring narrative or point of view coupled with some of the "breathless" excitement that seems to accompany some of the personal recollections in this book might diminish their reading experience.
Unfortunately, while there were plenty of interesting snippits especially towards the end of the book in chapters such as "Life At The Top", I found the book to be less coherent and cohesive than I was expecting. It reads much more like a series of disjointed short articles than a complete book with a recurring and well structured point of view. After awhile I began to think this was more written in a "serial" manner with each chapter trying to stand on it's own. That perception was heightened by the author's tendency to repeat basic facts about subjects like Zhongnanhai in multiple and sometimes successive chapters as if to fluff up the length of the book. There were also editing gaffes such as being inconsistent in the number of members of the Central Committee changing from 9 to 7 and then back again.
Overall, I applaud the effort to write as an outsider about one of the most insular of cliques and there is certainly a lot to learn and take away from this book and for people with a real interest in the subject this is a worthy additional resource. However for the casual reader the lack of a clear central recurring narrative or point of view coupled with some of the "breathless" excitement that seems to accompany some of the personal recollections in this book might diminish their reading experience.
July 22, 2013
I've just written a very detailed review of this book for the online Sydney Review of Books. I'll blog its publication when it goes live. But the short version is: well-researched and well-written and well worth reading.
May 17, 2019
Čína je implementáciou vlhkého sna nemalej časti dnešnej spoločnosti - vlády "odborníkov", technokratov, bez morálky, ktorí makajú pre naše* (ekonomické) blaho.
* keď držíte hubu a krok, nebývate na mieste, kde chce súdruh stavať mrakodrap alebo nie ste z Sin-ťiangu.
* keď držíte hubu a krok, nebývate na mieste, kde chce súdruh stavať mrakodrap alebo nie ste z Sin-ťiangu.
January 4, 2014
In ‘The Wizard of Oz” there is the defining moment when, confronted by the Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz in his chambers after dissolving the wicked witch, brave little Toto steps forth, pulls back the curtain and reveals the real power behind the façade. It is the moment when we the audience realize that our expectations and concepts have yet again been turned on their collective heads and suddenly we see the truth.
While this book helps to tear away the curtain, it only begins to reveal the entire truth of the situation. In China there is the state, but running the state is the Communist Party, the single wealthiest institution in Asia, if not the world. Designed like any great powerful venture, it has been sleekly modernized to be a fast and efficient money making device whose sole purpose is to enrich the small percent of the party that is its ruling members. The odd thing is that to do this, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has looked at Russia as a doomed model as well as the years under Mao’s control and have struggled to learn from the mistakes of the past. They have, according to this book, managed to do this in a brilliant fashion.
Can the rest of the world deal effectively with the growing dragon of the CCP and maintain peace in the world, or will the economic threat of China force the world to turn away from traditional strategies for economic support that will be beneficial to all parties, or will the CCP not see the reason in détente and proceed in a determined yet reckless drive to conquer the world.
This win from the Goodreads website is an interesting look behind the mask of the country to what lurks behind the façade and should be must reading for anyone who wished to get a better grasp on the China of today and tomorrow.
While this book helps to tear away the curtain, it only begins to reveal the entire truth of the situation. In China there is the state, but running the state is the Communist Party, the single wealthiest institution in Asia, if not the world. Designed like any great powerful venture, it has been sleekly modernized to be a fast and efficient money making device whose sole purpose is to enrich the small percent of the party that is its ruling members. The odd thing is that to do this, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has looked at Russia as a doomed model as well as the years under Mao’s control and have struggled to learn from the mistakes of the past. They have, according to this book, managed to do this in a brilliant fashion.
Can the rest of the world deal effectively with the growing dragon of the CCP and maintain peace in the world, or will the economic threat of China force the world to turn away from traditional strategies for economic support that will be beneficial to all parties, or will the CCP not see the reason in détente and proceed in a determined yet reckless drive to conquer the world.
This win from the Goodreads website is an interesting look behind the mask of the country to what lurks behind the façade and should be must reading for anyone who wished to get a better grasp on the China of today and tomorrow.
May 4, 2014
This is my thirty-sixth book that I have received and read from Goodreads. I thought that the author Rowan Callick,did a really through job of researching this book.
One of the things I found really interesting is, as big as China is they operate on only one time,and that is Beijing time. It's schools, business, and government offices all operate on Beijing time, which means that they start studying and working in theory at least when it is still pitch dark. Basically there is only one time zone throughout China.
The second item I found interesting was where the Olympics was played in China. All the area that was used for the Olympics, the government of China, forced the residents to relocate in the lead up to the games. Families were forced to leave their homes that they had made their lives in. They were forced to relocate sometimes miles away from their jobs, other family members, with no regards to costs of rent or how it would affect their lives.
The last item I found interesting is with all the people in China, the party determines to retain control over the world of ideas, which include the mass media, art galleries, movies, books, history, music, and even the internet. There are a lot of interesting facts in this book. It is a book that you should read if your going to go to China.
One of the things I found really interesting is, as big as China is they operate on only one time,and that is Beijing time. It's schools, business, and government offices all operate on Beijing time, which means that they start studying and working in theory at least when it is still pitch dark. Basically there is only one time zone throughout China.
The second item I found interesting was where the Olympics was played in China. All the area that was used for the Olympics, the government of China, forced the residents to relocate in the lead up to the games. Families were forced to leave their homes that they had made their lives in. They were forced to relocate sometimes miles away from their jobs, other family members, with no regards to costs of rent or how it would affect their lives.
The last item I found interesting is with all the people in China, the party determines to retain control over the world of ideas, which include the mass media, art galleries, movies, books, history, music, and even the internet. There are a lot of interesting facts in this book. It is a book that you should read if your going to go to China.
December 21, 2013
Good overview of where China stands today as a nation-state, followed by a look at it as an economy.
I had one main takeaway from this book. Many newspaper stories talk about the number of state-owned industries and businesses in China. But, that may be inaccurate, and if not, it's at least misleading. What Westerners (and counting Australians like the author in that circle) really need to look at (or do, in the case of the author) is the number of **party** owned businesses.
Callick makes clear that the Chinese Communist Party, not the government of China, is central to all discussions of China today, and China for the 20-year future, is not longer.
A somewhat lesser, but still important, takeaway that partially derives from that first one?
Callick politely but firmly demolishes the idea that economic "engagement" with China by the West, which has so far failed to produce noticeable political liberalization, will do any better in that 20-year future.
I had one main takeaway from this book. Many newspaper stories talk about the number of state-owned industries and businesses in China. But, that may be inaccurate, and if not, it's at least misleading. What Westerners (and counting Australians like the author in that circle) really need to look at (or do, in the case of the author) is the number of **party** owned businesses.
Callick makes clear that the Chinese Communist Party, not the government of China, is central to all discussions of China today, and China for the 20-year future, is not longer.
A somewhat lesser, but still important, takeaway that partially derives from that first one?
Callick politely but firmly demolishes the idea that economic "engagement" with China by the West, which has so far failed to produce noticeable political liberalization, will do any better in that 20-year future.
July 21, 2014
I don't read non-fiction very often, and I didn't finish the book. I had about 50 pages left but I wasn't interested enough to finish it. This book has its moments, I did learn some interesting facts about the communist party in China. It isn't my favorite book but I'm not sure if that's because I'm normally not much of a non-fiction reader. It was interesting but not interesting enough to finish.
*I received this book for free from Goodreads First Reads.
*I received this book for free from Goodreads First Reads.
June 2, 2013
A fascinating insight into a global powerhouse in the making. If we ask ourselves 'how much do we really understand' about China? The answer must surely be that we unstandardised less than we should. This book begins the answer...
October 25, 2022
The Party Forever? Didn't even feel that the Party was the main topic for most of the book. This is one of these books that string anecdote after anecdote, quote after quote without any analysis or theory.
October 13, 2013
This is a thoroughly researched book but my attention span was no match for it.
October 13, 2015
When I finished reading this book, I didn't want to stop reading. I wanted to read more about China, especially the one beyond the China's Communist Party.
October 16, 2013
nonfiction; China/politics. I wanted to finish this one, but ended up skimming the last 2/3. I also wanted to like it more and find it more insightful, but that didn't happen.
September 8, 2016
Worth taking the time to read, not a huge amount of insights but that is not surprising, considering the subject matter.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews