Introduction: Fatal Attraction—America’s Suicidal Quest for Educational Excellence 1

1 Fooling China, Fooling the World: Illusions of Excellence 13

2 The Emperors’ Game: A Perfect Machine for Homogenization 29

3 Governance without Governing: The Retreat of Authoritarianism and China’s Economic Boom 49

4 Hesitant Learner: The Struggle of Halfway Westernization 71

5 Fooling the Emperor: The Truth about China’s Capacity for Innovation 93

6 Hell to Heaven: The Making of the World’s Best and Worst Education 119

7 The Witch That Cannot Be Killed: Educational Reforms and Setbacks 141

8 The Naked Emperor: Chinese Lessons for What Not to Do 165

Notes 191

Bibliography 217

Index 225