21
March 2016
Past Event
China's Authoritarian Economic Model: Temporary Hiccup or in Terminal Decline?

China's Authoritarian Economic Model: Temporary Hiccup or in Terminal Decline?

Past Event
Hudson Institute, Washington, D.C. Headquarters
March 21, 2016
21
March 2016
Past Event

1201 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 400
Washington, DC 20004

Speakers:
Dr. John Lee

Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute & Adjunct Professor, Australian National University

Leland Miller

President, China Beige Book International

During much of America’s protracted post-2007 recession and sluggish recovery, a dramatically different economic model appeared to be on the rise. “Capitalism with Chinese characteristics,” as Beijing’s ruling party styles it, is (and remains) to a large extent a classic command economy: a national policy narrowly focused on growth, centrally directed by officials unburdened by the need to win popular elections, administered on a day-to-day basis by a handpicked class of authoritarian technocrats, and rigorously imposed on the gigantic state-owned enterprises that dominate China’s key industrial, commercial, and financial sectors. And to a great many observers, at least until quite recently, it seemed to be working.

But not so much anymore. Hardly a day now goes by without another major report or independent assessment warning that China’s economy is in very deep trouble. Highly questionable, universally mistrusted official GDP figures; mounting debt; wasted investment on such a scale that it can no longer be ignored; serious production over-capacity; stock indices in free fall—so much uninterrupted bad news, in fact, that even at home, the economic stewardship of China’s Communist Party is suddenly being openly questioned and criticized.

All economies go through their ups and downs, of course. So the question becomes: Are we merely witnessing a temporary or cyclical slowdown in China after a long period of rapid growth? Or do current alarms signal and reveal a deeper, structural, and enduring problem with the country’s basic system of political economy? Is “capitalism with Chinese characteristics” still a plausible and attractive model for other developing countries? Or has it permanently (and justifiably) lost its allure as an alternative to more liberal systems of economic policy and general governance?

On March 21, Hudson Institute hosted a discussion about the near- and long-term viability of this authoritarian economic model with two leading experts on China's political-economy: Leland Miller, president of China Beige Book International, and Hudson Senior Fellow Dr. John Lee. Hudson Senior Fellow Eric Brown moderated the discussion.

Related Events
15
September 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Securing America’s Technological Edge: A Conversation with USPTO Acting Director Coke Morgan Stewart
Featured Speakers:
Coke Morgan Stewart
Adam Mossoff
Getty Images
15
September 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Securing America’s Technological Edge: A Conversation with USPTO Acting Director Coke Morgan Stewart

Hudson’s Urška Petrovčič will host US Patent and Trademark Office Acting Director Coke Stewart to discuss patent rights’ vital role in advancing American competitiveness.

Getty Images
Featured Speakers:
Coke Morgan Stewart
Adam Mossoff
16
September 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Hybrid Warfare and CCP Infiltration: A Shared Challenge for US-Taiwan Security Cooperation
Featured Speakers:
Sang Pu
KJ Hsu
Moderator:
Miles Yu
Getty Images
16
September 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Hybrid Warfare and CCP Infiltration: A Shared Challenge for US-Taiwan Security Cooperation

Join Hudson Institute’s China Center as Dr. Miles Yu hosts a panel of experts and policymakers on how the US and its partners can strengthen security cooperation in defense of Taiwan.

Getty Images
Featured Speakers:
Sang Pu
KJ Hsu
Moderator:
Miles Yu
17
September 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Motwani Jadeja US-India Dialogue Series: US-India Relations and the Defense COMPACT
Featured Speakers:
Vikram J. Singh
Anthony Renzulli
Dr. Sameer Lalwani
Ingrid Henick
Moderator:
Aparna Pande
Getty images
17
September 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Motwani Jadeja US-India Dialogue Series: US-India Relations and the Defense COMPACT

Dr. Aparna Pande will host an expert panel to discuss how Washington and New Delhi can increase security collaboration to bolster security both bilaterally and multilaterally in the broader Indo-Pacific region.

Getty images
Featured Speakers:
Vikram J. Singh
Anthony Renzulli
Dr. Sameer Lalwani
Ingrid Henick
Moderator:
Aparna Pande
17
September 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Industry, Security, and Community: Senator David McCormick on the Nippon Steel–U.S. Steel Deal
Featured Speakers:
Senator David McCormick
Hiroshi Ono
Kevin Lewis
Stefani Pashman
Moderators:
Joel Scanlon
William Chou
(Courtesy of U.S. Steel)
17
September 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Industry, Security, and Community: Senator David McCormick on the Nippon Steel–U.S. Steel Deal

Experts talk about why this deal supports American workers and communities, the major capital and technological investment, and how Nippon Steel’s investment advances American industrial and economic strength.

(Courtesy of U.S. Steel)
Featured Speakers:
Senator David McCormick
Hiroshi Ono
Kevin Lewis
Stefani Pashman
Moderators:
Joel Scanlon
William Chou