Law and Society in Traditional China

ThestatementthatChinaispassingthroughanunprecedent-edrevolutionhasalmostbecomeaplatitude，butitsveryobviousnessinnowaydiminishesitstruth.Thechangeswhichthishugeandvenerablecountryexperiencedinthepastarenegligiblewhencomparedwiththedevelopmentsofthelastdecade.Thereasonforthisdifferenceindegree-whichamountstoaqualitativechange-isthatdevelopmentsinthepasthardlyinfluencedfundamentals,iftheyeverdidsoatall,whereasthepresenttransformationdeeplyaffectsthem.Itisevenconsciouslyaimedatchangingthesocialstructureandallthatthisentails.