Pitman Potter is Professor of Law and HSBC Chair in Asian Research at the University of British Columbia.
China is the most populous nation today; the rapid pace of development of its legal system in the last few decades is an extraordinary phenomenon in the world's legal history. Professor Potter's book provides an excellent introduction to what he calls 'the foundations of the PRC legal regime'. It surveys the history of this legal system, discusses the role of contemporary Chinese law in promoting political stability, economic prosperity and social development, and also looks at China's participation in the international legal order. The book is an impressive testimony to current Chinese legal developments as 'a work in progress'. Albert H.Y. Chen, University of Hong Kong Potter's acute insights into the normative and structural underpinnings of China's legal system are on display in this new text. By placing an examination of law in its political, economic and social contexts, this text provides the tools necessary for a critical evaluation of legal reforms. Sarah Biddulph, University of Melbourne A thought-provoking discussion of the role of law in a dynamic and changing society. LSE Review