The Sentinel State

In "The Sentinel State," Minxin Pei explores the paradox of China's increasing economic liberalization resulting in a stronger Communist Party grip, attributing this phenomenon primarily to an extensive surveillance state bolstered by a network of domestic spies. Rather than focusing solely on technology like facial recognition and phone tracking, Pei emphasizes the Party's investment in a coercive apparatus that mobilizes millions of citizen informants. Drawing from local reports, police records, and interviews with exiled dissidents, this work offers a comprehensive examination of the tactics and organization behind China's surveillance mechanisms, providing valuable insights into the survival strategies of authoritarian regimes.