This book examines egalitarian social ideals and institutions that arose in preindustrial China and England, and in the process, uncovers China's forgotten role in the history of social justice debate and legislation during the eighteenth century. "Powers has written an extraordinary meditation on the labyrinths of thought, both European and Chinese, that have brought us to our present place in history. The great strength of the book lies in demonstrating that the history of liberty is not a closed Western project, but an aspect of human experience that can be calmly and logically approached as much from China as from anywhere else." - Timothy Brook, The University of British Columbia, Canada.?