This book takes a look beneath the surface of this "miracle growth", to explore the political economy of this process. Beyond the superficial macroeconomics of high growth rates, increasing GDP per capita and high trade volume, the book looks at what is happening to the very socioeconomic and political fabric of society; particularly in terms of the transformation of gender relations.  Chen’s study explores:

• how the gender impacts of government policies shape the unequal realities of women,
• how women have carried on in production and social reproduction and made efforts to improve their status, and
• how women could potentially adopt a strategy to overcome the gender impacts so as to attain the equality and justice they have been promised by the Chinese government in a harmonious "well off" society.  

This book is a core resource for all students of Chinese economics and development studies.  The book is also relevant to those who are involved in research and teaching on gender and development and women’s studies.