The return of ideology : the search for regime identities in postcommunist Russia and China

Abstract

In her new book The Return of Ideology Cheng Chen argues that as a nation makes the transitionfrom Communism to democracy or something else, its regime must construct a newpolitical ideology that can guide policy and provide a sense of mission and nationaltogetherness. This is needed for engendering legitimacy among the populace as well asthe support of domestic political and economic elites, and is a precondition for theregime's long-term viability. In the book, Cheng Chen compares the Russian Federationafter 1991 and post-Deng China during roughly the same period, and investigates thedegree of success of the ideology-building projects in the two great powers.