French “rock star” economist Thomas Piketty said on Monday his latest book would probably not be released in China after the publisher demanded too many cuts.

Piketty’s “Capital and Ideology” surveys the rapid rise of inequality around the world and includes attacks on the “plutocracy” of the Chinese regime, which he says has overtaken Western countries.

“In short, they want to remove all references to contemporary China, and in particular to inequality and transparency in China. I have refused these conditions, and indicated that I will only accept a full translation without any kind of cut,” Piketty told AFP by email.