Invisible China: How the Urban-Rural Divide Threatens China's Rise.

The book "Invisible China: How the Urban-Rural Divide Threatens China's Rise" by Scott Rozelle and Natalie Hell explores the urban-rural divide in China and its impact on the country's development. The authors argue that the deficiency of human capital in rural areas poses a significant risk to China's modernization and could trap the country in the middle-income country trap. They also highlight the educational injustices stemming from China's urban-rural dual structure. While the book has received praise for its contributions to the discourse on educational inequality in China, some limitations are noted, such as occasional verbosity and neglect of historical intricacies. The authors also express concerns about China following a similar path as Mexico, but the unique characteristics of China, such as its strong national capabilities and unique land system, may mitigate this risk. The book provides insights into the weaknesses of rural education and vocational education in China and offers recommendations for improvement. [Extracted from the article]