The Surveillance State in China Began With Mao Says Minxin Pei

I think a powerful surveillance apparatus will continue to be a major obstacle to the development of democratic forces, but it will not be the decisive factor.
Minxin Pei

Proudly sponsored by the Kellogg Institute for International Studies. Learn more at kellogg.nd.edu

Access Episodes Ad-Free on Patreon (patreon.com/demparadox)

Make a one-time Donation to Democracy Paradox. (democracyparadox.com/donations)

Read Justin Kempf's essay "The Revolution Will Be Podcasted (americanpurpose.com/articles/the-revolution-wi…)."

A full transcript is available at www.democracyparadox.com (wp.me/pavhaU-2Cn).

Minxin Pei is the Tom and Margot Pritzker ’72 Professor of Government and George R. Roberts Fellow at Claremont McKenna College. His most recent book is The Sentinel State: Surveillance and the Survival of Dictatorship in China.

Key Highlights
• Introduction - 0:20
• What is a Surveillance State - 2:55
• Informants - 12:02
• History - 23:43
• Surveillance and Elites - 35:26
Key Links

The Sentinel State: Surveillance and the Survival of Dictatorship in China (hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674257832) by Minxin Pei

"Why China Can’t Export Its Model of Surveillance (foreignaffairs.com/china/why-china-cant-export…)" by Minxin Pei in Foreign Affairs

"Totalitarianism’s Long Shadow (journalofdemocracy.org/articles/china-totalita…)" by Minxin Pei in Journal of Democracy

Democracy Paradox Podcast

Josh Chin on China’s Surveillance State (democracyparadox.com/2023/03/21/josh-chin-on-c…)

Deng Xiaoping is Not Who You Think He is. Joseph Torigian on Leadership Transitions in China and the Soviet Union (democracyparadox.com/2023/09/05/deng-xiaoping-…)

More Episodes from the Podcast (democracyparadox.com/the-democracy-paradox-pod…)

More Information

Apes of the State created all Music (apesofthestate.com)

Email the show at jkempf@democracyparadox.com

Follow on Twitter @DemParadox (twitter.com/DemParadox), Facebook (facebook.com/Democracy-Paradox-101855455970613), Instagram @democracyparadoxpodcast (instagram.com/democracyparadoxpodcast)

100 Books on Democracy (democracyparadox.com/100-books-on-democracy)
Support the show (patreon.com/demparadox)