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Author:   Yida Zhai (University of Tsukuba, Japan)
Publisher:   Cambridge University Press
Imprint:   Cambridge University Press
Weight:   0.781kg
ISBN:  

9781009489713

ISBN 10:   1009489712
Pages:   416
Publication Date:   08 January 2026
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Manufactured on demand  
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Table of Contents

Introduction; Part I. Political Guardianship Psychology and Public Trust in the Government: 1. Traditional values and political trust; 2. Modernization, improved life satisfaction, and political trust; 3. Food safety problems, risk society, and political trust; 4. Government policy performance and central-local political trust; 5. Religious beliefs, income inequality, and political trust; Part II. Political Guardianship Psychology and Public Attitudes toward Democracy: 6. Characteristics of popular perceptions of democracy; 7. Traditional values and support for democracy; 8. Popular perceptions of democracy and democratic satisfaction; 9. Understanding democracy without the 'D-Word'; 10. Evaluations of democracy in the United States, India, and Taiwan; Part III. Political Guardianship Psychology and Public Attitudes toward International Relations: 11. Public perceptions of China's rise; 12. Nationalist and international orientations; 13. The changing view of the United States; Index.

Reviews

'The enigma of Chinese conceptions of democracy, closely tied to support for authoritarian rule, is empirically unravelled in this book. Yida Zhai reveals how the psychological foundations of China's benevolent authority-based 'Socialist democracy' sustain institutional trust, legitimize authoritarian resilience, shape satisfaction with democracy, and foster nationalist attitudes in contemporary China.' Ken'ichi Ikeda, Professor, Faculty of Media Studies, Doshisha University 'In this book, Yida Zhai-a rising star in the field-uses the lens of political guardianship psychology to illuminate how Chinese citizens perceive politics, power, and legitimacy. It is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the psychological foundations of authoritarian resilience and political behavior in contemporary China.' Dali L. Yang, William C. Reavis Professor of Political Science, University of Chicago, and author of Wuhan: How the Covid-19 Outbreak in China Spiraled Out of Control

Author Information

Yida Zhai is an associate professor in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at The University of Tsukuba, Japan. His research interests include political psychology, political sociology, and Asian comparative politics, with his work being published in Chinese, and Japanese journals.

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