Professor Jeans adhered closely to the facts throughout the book and interpretive remarks were limited to pointing out inconsistencies in Zhang's thoughts and theories. This book will undoubtedly be consulted frequently by future historians on the intellectual history of modern China.
Alan P. L. Liu, University of California A valuable roadmap to the thinking and writing of an important and under-studied figure in modern China's intellectual history. It will be central to people who are working to trace the history of such ideas as constitutionalism, human rights, and democracy. Also valuable is the record of Zhang's views on the Soviet Union and on Soviet economic planning. The book is thoroughly researched and will be of great use to scholars in the field. . . . A significant scholarly achievement.
Andrew J. Nathan, Columbia University Jeans has wisely called our attention to a serious man whose dedicated efforts, and failures, have much to teach us about the course of modern Chinese history.
Michael Gasster, Rutgers University
American Historical Review
Jeans has used numerous sources, and his translations from Zhang's writings . . . are especially valauble for understanding the foreign impact on his prescriptions for China. . . . This book proves that Zhang deserves such attention and that Jeans is highly qualified to write it. . . . He has provided new insights into the history of the democratic idea in modern China.
Harold Z. Schiffrin
China Quarterly
In writing this intellectual history of Zhang Junmai, Roger Jeans has done the field of modern Chinese studies an important service. By introducing readers to the thoughts and actions of Zhang Junmai, Jeans fills in a critical gap in our knowledge of the struggle for democracy in China. Refreshingly lucid, thoroughly researched and well documented.
Journal of Asian and African Studies
The book will undoubtedly be consulted frequently by future historians on the intellectual history of modern China and students of revolution in which violence and ideological extremism drowned out the voices of the moderates, thus pushing the nation toward a reign of terror and destruction.
Alan P. L. Liu, University of California Jeans does a scholarly job in sorting out the complex relationship among the Kuomintang, the Communist party, and nonmainstream political parties, or the Third Force, as Zhang put it. This book is refreshing in that it explores and interprets contemporary Chinese politics not from a KMT or Communist perspective but from that of a third party. This has rarely been done in the past.
Shao-Kang Chu, University of British Columbia
Pacific Affairs
Roger B. Jeans, Jr., provides us with a detailed and thoughtful description of Zhang Junmai's thought and life. It is not only an excellent biography of an important intellectual and minority-party leader, but also a pioneering work on the third force between the Chinese Communist Party and the Nationalist Party in modern China. . . . Jeans clearly demonstrates the close connections between Zhang Junmai's thought, his political activities, and the political climate and the intellectual milieu of his day. As a result he delineates not only Zhang's individual history, but also the complexity of the social, political, and cultural world of early twentieth century China. . . . I highly recommend it to all readers interested in the issues of democracy, socialism, and nationalism in modern China.
Wang Hui, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing
Journal of Asian Studies
Welcome and long overdue. . . . It is the most complete on Zhang's career and works in English to date. . . . [An] excellent volume.
China Review International