This volume investigates the evolving relationship between the individual and the state in the People's Republic of China following the implementation of economic reform and opening-out policies in the 1980s. Edited by Brian Hook, the work assembles a group of distinguished contributors to analyze how systemic economic shifts influence individual rights, social freedoms, and the political landscape. The text provides a structured examination of how state authority interacts with various social strata during a period of significant national transition.

Critics and scholars recognize this volume as a foundational reference for understanding the early stages of China's economic transformation. The text is frequently cited for its comprehensive approach to analyzing diverse social groups within the Chinese state structure.