《互聯(lián)網(wǎng)的影響（英文版）》：
　　2.1 Introduction
　　This chapter provides the theoretical framework of the research and the context in which the research topic is situated. It is composed of four sections. The first section provides an overview of democracy and democratisation, and reflects on the important contributing elements in the process of democratisation. These include citizens of a democracy, political efficacy, an open and accountable political culture, free markets with varying degrees ofinternal regulation, economic growth, civil society, public sphere, and political participation. With the theoretical frame work provided in the first section, the second section of the chapter explores China's political tradition and the role that historical factors have in shaping contemporary political culture; and the third section examines debates about contemporary China and the process of reform and democratisation. The final section of the chapter details the literature concerning the development and impact that the Internet has had on China. This chapter provides a survey of the literature relating to democracy and democratisation. In doing so it has provided a theoretical context in which the study of democratisation in China can be further nuanced and elaborated. Moreover, the chapter has detailed research which has sought to refiect on the 'impact' of the Internet in Chinese society. Such research provides this researcher with an important opportunity to add detail and nuance in our understanding of the role of the Internet in the process of democratisation in China. 2.2 Democracy and democratisation
　　The research is situated within a bigger debate on whether or not the Internet is going to promote democratisation in mainland China. This part of the literature review provides the theoretical framework so as to understand the importance that political tradition has had in the political, economic, cultural and social changes that have occurred in the last three decades in mainland China. Such literature enables a contextualisation of the data which has enabled the researcher to critically reflect on the participants' articulations and perceptions of their Internet use. The reform era since 1978 is chosen as the social context because the neoliberalism route the economic reform took has transformed Chinese society dramatically and provokes heated debate about where the route will lead China politically.
　　To enable a critical reflection on the transitional process in China since 1978, both democracy and democratisation are defined （see Chapter 1, 1.2, Objective 4）. Conceptually, democracy is defined as a mode of decision- making about collectively binding rules and policies over which the people exercise control. Democratisation is defined as a process in which a society or a nation moves from the most undemocratic arrangement to the most democratic one.
　　A number of scholars（eg. Hayek, 1944; Lipset, 1959; Pennock, 1979; Huntington, 1984; Berger, 1986; Hu, 1988; Rawls, 1973; Duch, 1993; Hellivell, 1994; Barro, 199'6; He, 1996; Leftwich, 1996; Potter, 1997; Dahl, 1998;Barro, 1999; and Young, 1999） believe that certain conditions are favourable or contribute to the emergence or consolidation of liberal democracy and they are developed over a significant period of time. Those conditions include the willingness and capacity of the citizens to engage themselves in politics, a pro-democratic political culture, a free market, economic growth, civil society, a public sphere, political participation, and freedom of the mass media. Absence of such prerequisites leads to failure in democratic arrangements. The history of political institutions of many democratic states today reveals the 'fragility and vulnerability of democratic arrangements' （Held, 2006, p.l）. The following seven sections will contain a critical reflection on those factors regarding their relation to democracy, based on which the situation in mainland China will be examined.
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