The Path to China's Development as a Fourth-Type Nation

The longest chapter, Economic Development, focuses on the theme of industrialisation, and the author identifies two paths for China: the first, the path of industrialisation, relies on mechanised production to bring wealth, intelligence, and longevity; the second, the agrarian path, depends on manual labour and results in poverty, ignorance, and short lifespans. The author asserts that for China to address the livelihood issues of its rural population and enhance the well-being of the working masses, it must adopt the new path of industrialization and take an "urban-based approach to aid rural areas". To accelerate urbanisation, the author advocates for the establishment of industries, the development of transportation, and the expansion of financial systems.

The central argument of the third chapter, entitled 'Population Policy', is that birth control and the vocational retraining of surplus rural labour for non-agricultural employment are both necessary. In the fourth chapter, entitled Distribution, Wu puts forward the proposal that the tax system be utilised for the purpose of expanding the middle class and reducing the gap between social classes. This work is a poignant reflection of the profound patriotism and acute sense of crisis experienced by Chinese sociologists during a time of national peril.