The People's Republic of Capitalism

Ted Koppel's Discovery Channel-aired documentary miniseries The People's Republic of Capitalism—focusing on China's “economic miracle”—examines China's turn towards capitalism (after Mao's Communist era), which has brought about radical socioeconomic change, while also placing the country in a new (and newly uncomfortable) role as America's leading creditor. Although erstwhile ABC newsman Koppel travels widely across the country to present the fascinating story of China's transformation and its impact on U.S. relations, the focus here is on the city of Chongqing (with a population of 13 million and growing) in the Sichuan province, which serves as a symbol of the massive metamorphosis of China as a whole. Divided into four parts, the initial episode examines the connections between the U.S. and Chinese economies (contrasting laid-off American workers with low-paid Chinese laborers); the second looks at changes in Chinese social, religious, and political values; the third covers China's new love affair with the automobile; and the fourth deals with problems arising from China's embrace of capitalism—including the emergence of an economic elite, endemic corruption, and the communist government's difficulties in attempting to balance individual entrepreneurship with a socialist political order. DVD/Blu-ray extras include a half-hour interview with Koppel. Highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (F. Swietek)