THE POLITICAL-ECONOMY OF TIANANMEN-SQUARE

The authors offer a rational choice explanation of the 1989 Chinese cr ackdown on peaceful, pro-democracy student protesters in Tiananmen Squ are. The explanation is based on strategic considerations within the l arger context of conflict between the central and provincial governmen ts. The central government's reaction to the student uprising provides information to the provinces regarding its subsequent willingness and ability to use force against a province. They analyze a game-theoreti c model illustrating the argument and present evidence documenting the growing central-local rivalry in China. The authors also apply insigh ts from the analysis to other transitions.