Cambridge University Press Toxic Politics: China's Environmental Health Crisis and its Challenge to the Chinese State

Environmental degradation in China has not only brought a wider range of diseases and other health consequences than previously understood, it has also taken a heavy toll on Chinese society, the economy, and the legitimacy of the party-state. In Toxic Politics, Yanzhong Huang presents new evidence of China's deepening health crisis and challenges the widespread view that China is winning the war on pollution. Although government leaders are learning, stricter and more centralized policy enforcement measures have not been able to substantially reduce pollution or improve public health. Huang connects this failure to pathologies inherent in the institutional structure of the Chinese party-state, which embeds conflicting incentives for officials and limits the capacity of the state to deliver public goods. Toxic Politics reveals a political system that is remarkably resilient but fundamentally flawed. Huang examines the implications for China's future, both domestically and internationally. Review 'Dr Huang has animated a dry subject and brought it to life. He elegantly combines environmental science, public health, political science, organizational behavior and his own family and hometown experiences. The writing style is approachable and yet also very careful and precise. The book is a tremendous read. It is a worthy successor or update of Liz Economy's The River Runs Black of 2004. Moreover, this is much more than a scholarly work. The subject and analysis elucidate the conditions that at least 1.4 billion Chinese citizens face every day. The spill-over effects of the problem-set that he so eloquently unpacks here will have obvious global consequence. I only hope that the book is translated into many languages. But, most importantly, I hope that it is translated into Chinese and read widely by members of the Chinese public as well as the political establishment in China.' Craig Allen, President, US Ambassador (ret), US-China Business Council'Yanzhong Huang has accomplished a remarkable achievement: he offers us a comprehensive, truly interdisciplinary study of interrelated Chinese political, economic, and societal dynamics through a deep dive into the relationship between two vitally important policy areas, environmental degradation and its effects on citizens' health.' Andrew Mertha, George and Sadie Hyman Professor and Director of China Studies, Johns Hopkins University“Bringing well-researched data to life through poignant personal narratives, Huang documents devastating air, water, and soil pollution―and the Party's conflicted approach to acknowledging and addressing its toll on citizens' health. To understand some of China's most pressing challenges now and in the future, read this book!' Dr Andrew S. Erickson, Professor, Naval War College; Visiting Scholar, Harvard Fairbank Center'This book addresses a key question as to how a major environmental health crisis may influence China's rise. The book systematically reviews the fundamental economic, sociopolitical, foreign policy and health implications of the crisis and its policy response. The book also offers an intriguing assessment of the evolvement and implementation of environmental health policies in China. It is a must-read for those who are interested in global environmental health and policy issues.' Xi Chen, Associate Professor at Yale University; President, China Health Policy and Management Society'Toxic Politics does not hedge or equivocate. China must first heal its body politic before it will effectively address its environmental slide and heal its people. Willing participation by citizens in environmental and health action, as well as in overall governance, is necessary for a healthy environment and a sustainable great power.' David M. Lampton, Oksenberg-Rohlen Fellow at the Asia-Pacific Research Center, Stanford University, and former director of China Studies, Johns Hopkins-SAIS'Yanzhong Huang's Toxic Politics is a gem of