Never Turn Back

"Never Turn Back" explores the tumultuous period of China’s reform era in the 1980s, capturing debates over markets, political liberalization, and technological change that shaped the nation's future. Julian Gewirtz details how, after the events of 1989, Beijing suppressed these discussions and redefined its history, leading to the current style of strongman rule under Xi Jinping. The book sheds light on how China's past could have taken a different trajectory and the lasting impact of this pivotal decade.