An Overview of White-Collar and Corporate Crime in China

Abstract

The central premise of the book is that China represents the next frontier in the study of white-collar and corporate crime. Although its politics, cultural patterns, and history are unique, its resulting problems of white-collar crime are not altogether dissimilar to other rapidly developing countries either in the past or present. But China’s vast size and global reach make these offenses increasingly consequential to the world. This chapter provides an overview of major issues relating to white-collar and corporate crime in China that are discussed in more detail later in the book. It notes the importance of considering social issues in transnational perspective in a globalized world with China playing heavily on this front, especially regarding the effects of its white-collar and corporate crimes. It reviews basic demographic trends regarding China’s growth, economy, and rise in inequality that are accompanied by rampant corruption and other forms of white-collar and corporate offending. Problems related to researching white-collar crime, cost, and measurement issues, as well as the perceptions of pervasiveness of crime in China, the media and transparency, and crime and economic growth are discussed. The crime conundrum of the “Chinese and American Dreams” set the stage for further comparisons between the countries.