Political developments in China during the decade since the death of Mao Zedong form the theme of the following analysis; particular emphasis is laid on reform of the economic and political system, as it has been advocated, and to some extent put into practice, since the Third Plenum of the Eleventh Central
Committee in December 1978.
The Third Plenum was the fountainhead for nearly all the new trends which have emerged since. This presentation is divided into three parts: (1) from 1978 to the adoption of the Decision on Economic Reform in October 1984; (2) the problems and contradictions encountered in the application of these policies during the ensuing year and a half, from late 1984 to early 1986; and (3) the situation since the spring of 1986 and the prospects for the future.
