Breakneck: China’s Quest to Engineer the Future

In Breakneck, Dan Wang combines political, economic, and philosophical analysis with reportage to present a framework for understanding China and, by extension, America. Wang argues that China functions as an engineering state, aggressively pursuing large-scale projects, while the United States has stalled as a legalistic society that reflexively opposes initiatives, both beneficial and harmful. The book examines cities including Shanghai, Chongqing, and Shenzhen, where engineering-driven development has produced substantial infrastructure and widespread optimism. Wang also documents the costs of social engineering in China, including surveillance of ethnic minorities, political suppression, and the consequences of the one-child policy and zero-Covid measures.