This book investigates the paradox of China's consumer revolution, questioning why rapid economic growth has consistently failed to generate the expected levels of domestic demand. Elisabeth Croll, an anthropologist with extensive expertise in Chinese social development, utilizes a multidisciplinary approach to analyze the intersection of economic policy and social stratification. She argues that the cycle of excess supply and weak demand is rooted in the complex, fragmented nature of China's evolving social classes, which are deeply divided by geography, wealth, and generational status.

Experts recognize this work as a significant contribution to understanding the social constraints on China's economic transition. Readers frequently note the author's ability to bridge the gap between high-level economic theory and the lived realities of diverse Chinese social groups.