Bringing together substantial essays by leading scholars, this volume offers a comprehensive introduction to and analysis of the politics of the People's Republic of China from 1949 through the mid-1990s. The first four chapters are drawn from The Cambridge History of China, Volumes 14 and 15. The last two chapters, covering events, through the mid-1990s, have been written specifically for this edition. The particular strength of the volume is the depth of expert knowledge provided for each extraordinary political era; each period is covered by a specialist on the events of that time. The volume should be equally useful to general readers with an interest in China and to students; it should also serve as a valuable reference for specialists.