what surprised about this book was the shocking insight into the workings of power. it didn:t have to be china. or did it. having lived and worked in china and now living and working in hongkong, i doubted my views could be so radically challenged. a must read for anyone who thought they no longer had anything to learn about china, the chinese and the organisation of power in such a society. it changed the way i look at the country, something i thought since tiananmen could not happen