LLAW6008
Introduction to Chinese law and legal system
A broad introduction to traditional Chinese law, twentieth-century legal reform and the current legal system of the People's Republic of China. The first part of the course will consider the traditional Chinese legal system, particularly during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and will conclude with an analysis of late Qing and early Republican law reform. The second part of the course will cover legal developments from the establishment of the People's Republic through the Cultural Revolution. The third and main part of the course will consist of a detailed consideration of the legal system and the role of law in the P.R.C. since 1978. Specific areas of study will include constitutional reform and the legal structure, the enactment of a civil code, the introduction of economic reforms, family and inheritance law, criminal law and criminal procedure, nationality law and human rights issues. A reading knowledge of simplified Chinese characters is desirable.