Over the past three decades, Chinese scholars and policymakers have been debating the causes and consequences of the Soviet Union’s collapse. What lessons is the Chinese Communist Party drawing from this historical event, and what do they suggest about its approach to governance today? Drawing on newly translated scholarship, leading experts examine this important topic.

A translation of a notice from a small town in Shanxi province gives a glimpse into the CCP’s governance tactics at the village and town levels. Jude Blanchette provides an analysis of the document.