Kevin J. O’Brien. “Neither Withdrawal Nor Resistance: Adapting to Increased Repression in China.” Modern China, vol. 49, no. 1 (2023): 3-25.
In the face of growing repression in China, some lawyers, along with pastors and NGOs, are navigating authoritarian constraints not through resistance but through strategic accommodation. Rather than withdrawing from public life, these legal professionals adapt by maintaining transparency with authorities, cultivating official allies, avoiding controversial issues, and distancing themselves from outspoken dissidents or foreign ties. This article examines how lawyers in China preserve limited operational space by demonstrating loyalty and moderation, offering a compelling case study of how legal professionals in backsliding democracies balance survival with principle. The blurred line between cooperation and co-optation illustrates the complex ethical terrain lawyers face under authoritarian consolidation.