ANNE THURSTON

Since the death of Mao Zedong in
1976, China's moribund communist
dynasty has been at least par-
tially revived. But as Deng
Xiaoping, architect of the restor-
ation, approaches his 89th year,
China finds itself on the brink of
a most uncertain future. Anne
Thurston, a veteran China-watcher
recently returned from the
People's Republic, looks at the
puzzles and contradictions of
the present for clues to where Asia's
greatest dragon may head.

communism ha...