17248. ECONOMIC HISTORY OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA (PRC). This paper provides an overview and analysis of China’ s progress and problems in economic reform and development of its “socialist market economy.” The paper closely examines the history and progress of economic reforms from the time the Communists came to power in 1949 up until the present (circa 2003). The paper traces the transition from Mao to Deng, examines the political climate under Deng, profiles Deng’s economic reforms and their impact, and examines the progress from a planned commodity economy (1984 to 1991) to a socialist market economy (1992–). The concluding sections consider political and social problems connected with the reform process, with particular attention to the Tiananmen uprising and its aftermath and the pervasive problem of corruption. Keywords: PRC China communism economy economic history market reforms Deng Four Modernizations Mao socialist market economy corruption market opening. Written 2003. 25 pages; 114 footnotes; 43 bibliographic sources. 6,371 words.