Law Without Lawyers: A Comparative View of Law in the United States and China

The U.S. has 400,000 lawyers in a society of 200 million people. China, a country with four times that population, has a mere 3,500 lawyers. How do the Chinese achieve law without lawyers? Victor Li, one of the world's leading authorities on Chinese law, explores the way the Chinese and U.S. systems have historically viewed law (and still view it), and the way each system functions in everyday life to shape conduct and control deviance. In a straightforward and highly readable manner, the author examines how these highly divergent societies operate. He writes about historical forces and cultural values that are centuries old--and that are still critical influences in shaping life in modern America and China. In explaining the differences in the tradition and operation of law in these two cultures, Li gives us both an invaluable understanding of Chinese society today and his own appraisal of the strengths and weaknesses of U.S. law, lawyers, and courts.