Age of Ambition: Chasing Fortune, Truth, and Faith in the New China

China of today is vastly different from China of Mao's era. Capitalism and personal aggrandizement is in full swing. However, the country remains under single party rule and very aggressively clamps down on dissent. Things seem to be working relatively well now. But is it sustainable?

China of today looks very sleek and modern. Infrastructure is an par (and in some cases ahead) of the western world. However, government institutions and the rule of law are a century behind. Government positions are many teams a means to extract gains rather than provide service. A whistleblower may be punished for exposing government corruption. When government officials are punished for wrongdoing, it is more likely to be the lower level ones taking the fall, with the high level ones insulated.

Local government can be a hotbed of corruption. The government is the one main source of power available. The book includes accounts of various brutal means that have been employed to suppress dissent. Thugs in the night are not uncommon. Censorship is common on social media and other venues. People are also employed to steer conversation to the correct topics.

Age of Ambition focuses on individual cases of people in China. An individual woman was able to overcome her limited background to create a large data site. However, there are also cases of artists and journalists being demonized for their willingness to speak out against wrongs. The case of the construction of the high speed railroad showcases both the good and bad in modern China. It was built with a speed and scale not seen anywhere else in the world. However, there was also a level of corruption and graft not seen since the American transcontinental railroad. When an incident did appear, the government tried to cover it up, before eventually punishing some government grafters.