On subjects ranging from trade to democratization, there has lately been a wave of laments about China's development belying Western expectations. Yet these disappointments often come with misunderstandings of the very institutions that China was expected to adopt. Chinese taxation offers a...

Introduction -- The forgotten reform -- What Is an audit? -- Atomistic coercion -- Returning responsibilities to taxpayers -- Organizing revenue -- Policymaking without information -- The rhetoric of law -- Varieties of state capacity -- Pivoting away from the rule of law.