During the last 40 years China has changed radically: Mao Tse Tung, once worshipped by the people, is now criticized for having led his country astray. In the 1950s 700,000 landlords and capitalists were executed, now private enterprise flourishes. This book explains fully this exciting period of Chinese history. Drawing on sources including interviews, literature, Party statements and his own observations, John Gittings analyzes the political, social and cultural changes in China during the last four decades. Among the many topics examined are the Cultural Revolution and how the Chinese view it now; the new enthusiasm for foreign trade; student demonstrations; the conservative backlash against reform; and the changing political fortunes of such as Lin Biao, the Gang of Four and Deng Xiaoping. The book is brought right up to date with a new chapter on the incidents in Tiananmen Square.