AMERICAN STUDIES Summer 1996 Vol. 10, No.2 ARTICLES ENGAGEMENT PLUS CONTAINMENT Liang Gencheng (7) The author argues that the Clinton administration’s China policy is one of engaging as well as containing China. This is determined by such factors as “the strategy of engagement and enlargement”, the rise of China, U.S. domestic politics, international politics and economic relations. The administration has to look hard among inconsistencies for a point of equilibrium in the formulation and implementation of its China policy which is obviously self-contradictory. However, as equilibrium is relative and disequilibrium absolute, Sino-American relations are bound to be unstable and tortuous. NEW TRIAL OF STRENGTH BETWEEN TWO AMERICAN ECONOMIC PHILOSOPHIES Chen Baosen (21) The warfare centered on budget issues between the Democratic Clinton Administration and the Republican Congress has been a new trial of strength between government intervention and laissez-faire under new conditions. As Bill Clinton who came to power with the look of a new Democrat in the last election failed to provide much real material benefit to the American public despite his success in the continuing recovery of American economy, conservative Republicans won a sweeping victory in the 1994 Congressional mid-term election. ONAMERICAN NEW LEFT Zhao Lin (40) The American New Left that came into being when the evils in modern industrial society became increasingly evident, is mainly composed of young intellectuals dissatisfied with the theory and practice of the Old Leftists. It pursues the social ideal of “Shared democracy”, advocates absolute personal freedom and love and has a high regard for radical “counter-culture”. The movement has played a positive role in antiracism and antiwar. However, it is basically an anarchist movement which is more destructive than constructive. JOHN LEIGHTON STUART AND CHINESE GOVERNMENT IN CRISIS Wang Jianlang (59) One of John L. Stuart’s major activities during his term as U.S. ambassador to China, 1946-1949, was to urge the Kuomintang government to enforce reforms. Full of illusions about Chiang Kai-shek at first, he did offer many a proposal for reforms. However, Chiang’s perfunctory attitude made him fell disappointed gradually. He later unequivocally and definitely urged Chiang’ss retirement from office. Though Dr. Stuart bypassed many of State Department instructions, he acted entirely on State Department’s will when he urged Kuomintang government to reform. Under China’s specific conditions of the day, the reforms as proposed by Dr. Stuart might not suffice to save such a despotic regime that was so utterly degenerate. AMERICAN FILMS AS SEEN IN CHINESE MOVIE REVIEW, 1895-1949 Wang Chaoguang (78) This article discusses the image of American films in Chinese movie reviews in the first half of this century and argues that Chinese movie reviews evolved from a sense of novelty to ethical criticism and to political criticism. They showed a general trend of pan-politicalization. This resulted from the impact of traditional culture, as well as the social environment of the day. Nevertheless, owing to its estrangement from both movie professionals and the audience, the pan-politicalized criticism failed to produce the desired effect. TWO BREAKTHROUGHS IN U.S. AGRICULTURE AND BASIC EXPERIENCES THEREIN Zhang Youlun (93) The development of American agriculture underwent two major breakthroughs, namely, the agricultural revolution of the 1860s which accelerated land reclamation in the West and enlarged the farming area and the agricultural revolution before the WWII which helped bring about the mechanization of farm work. The two breakthroughs rode on the wave of industrial and technological revolutions of the day and promoted agricultural education and R & D which deepened, in turn, the revolution in agriculture. As a result, American agriculture becomes a highly effective one in the world after the second breakthrough. LYNDON JOHNSON AND CIVIL RIGHTS ACTS Zhang Liping (110) Lyndon Johnson was closely related to Civil Rights Acts of the 1960s. In his long career from a Congressman to the President, Lyndon Johnson who had an anti-civil rights record in his early years helped get a number of Civil Rights bills through the Congress. This coup de change results from political considerations and is prompted by morality and conscience. Based on the study of the historical relations between Lyndon Johnson and U.S. Civil Rights Acts, this article explains his contribution and analyzes the factors that help effect his change from standing against to for civil rights. DISCUSSIONS GEORGE KENNAN’S CONCEPT OF “CONTAINMENT” SHOULD NOT BE MISUNDERSTOOD Zhang Xiaoming (133) BOOK REVIEWS A FINE WORK IN U.S. URBANIZATION STUDY –COMMENTS ON WANG XU’S A STUDY OF AMERICAN BIG CITIES ON WEST COAST Huang Keke (140) FROM THE NEW DEAL TO MODERN ECONOMIC SYSTEM – COMMENTS ON HU GUOCHENG’S ROAD TO U.S. MODERN ECONOMIC SYSTEM Liu Xiaoying (145) COMMENTS ON HAN DE’S ORIGIN OF THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY’S FOREIGN POLICY Xiong Zhiyong (149) ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES A WORKSHOP ON THE U.S. FOREIGN POLICY AND SINO-U.S. RELATIONS IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION YEAR Xiao Rong (152) NEW BOOKS (154) EDITOR’S NOTE (160) Articles appearing in this journal are abstracted and indexed in HISTORICAL ABSTRACTS and AMERICA: HISTORY AND LIFE. AMERICAN STUDIES, a quarterly, is published jointly by the Chinese Association for American Studies, and the Institute of American Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The content of the articles in this journal should not be construed as reflecting the views either of the Association or the Institute.