Exploring the tension between a modernizing authoritarian state and its politically aware citizens, the book delves into China's efforts to control information access in an increasingly contentious public sphere. Ya-Wen Lei employs a diverse array of methods to analyze this complex issue, providing valuable insights into China's political development. The work is essential reading for both experts and general readers interested in the dynamics of state and civil society in contemporary China.
The book explores China's economic transformation, highlighting the shift from labor-intensive manufacturing to a tech-driven development model under an increasingly authoritarian regime. Through extensive fieldwork and interviews, it examines the stark inequalities between "high-end" and "low-end" sectors and the state's use of technology for surveillance and control. The narrative contrasts China's rapid rise with America's Gilded Age, suggesting it resembles a gilded cage, where state power and tech capitalism foster rising inequality and social exclusion.