the nuts and bolts of the chinese political system bruce dickson george washington university
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The Nuts and Bolts The Nuts and Bolts of the Chinese of the Chinese Political SystemPolitical System
Bruce DicksonBruce DicksonGeorge Washington UniversityGeorge Washington University
The Chinese Communist The Chinese Communist PartyParty
75 million members75 million members– About 6% of populationAbout 6% of population
Criteria for recruitmentCriteria for recruitment– EducationEducation– AgeAge– GenderGender– Urban biasUrban bias
Most key positions held by CCP Most key positions held by CCP membersmembers
Central Party InstitutionsCentral Party Institutions
National Party Congress (> 2000)
Central Party InstitutionsCentral Party Institutions
Central Committee (200)
National Party Congress (> 2000)
Central Party InstitutionsCentral Party Institutions
Politburo (25)
Central Committee (200)
National Party Congress (> 2000)
Central Party InstitutionsCentral Party Institutions
Politburo Standing Committee (9)
Politburo (25)
Central Committee (200)
National Party Congress (> 2000)
Central Party InstitutionsCentral Party Institutions
General Secretary
Politburo Standing Committee (9)
Politburo (25)
Central Committee (200)
National Party Congress (> 2000)
CCP General Secretary HU CCP General Secretary HU JintaoJintao
Political “Generations” in Political “Generations” in ChinaChina
Mao Zedong
Deng Xiaoping
Jiang Zemin
Fourth GenerationFourth Generation
Hu Jintao and Wen JiabaoHu Jintao and Wen Jiabao
Fifth GenerationFifth Generation
Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang
Chinese Party InstitutionsChinese Party Institutions
CCPGeneral Secretary
Standing CommitteePolitburo
Central Committee
Provincial PartyCommittees
Local PartyCommittees
Chinese Political SystemChinese Political System
CCPGeneral Secretary
National People’s Congress
Standing CommitteePolitburo
Central Committee
Prime MinisterState Council
Chinese legislators at workChinese legislators at work
Chinese legislators at workChinese legislators at work
Chinese legislators at workChinese legislators at work
Chinese Political SystemChinese Political System
CCPGeneral Secretary
National People’s Congress
Standing CommitteePolitburo
Central Committee
Prime MinisterState Council
Prime Minister WEN JiabaoPrime Minister WEN Jiabao
Chinese Political SystemChinese Political System
CCPGeneral Secretary
National People’s Congress
Standing CommitteePolitburo
Central Committee
Prime MinisterState Council
Provincial PartyCommittees
Local PartyCommittees
Provincial People’sCongresses
Local People’sCongresses
Provincial Governments
Local Governments
Chinese Political SystemChinese Political System
CCPGeneral Secretary
National People’s Congress
Standing CommitteePolitburo
Central Committee
Prime MinisterState Council
Provincial PartyCommittees
Local PartyCommittees
Provincial People’sCongresses
Local People’sCongresses
Provincial Governments
Local Governments
President
CCP’s bid for CCP’s bid for legitimacylegitimacy ““Performance Legitimacy”Performance Legitimacy” GrowthGrowth
China's Economic Growth, 1978-2007
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
2000
1978
1982
1987
1992
1997
2002
2007
per
cap
ita
GD
P
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2
4
6
8
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12
14
16
% g
row
th
per cap GDP
annual growth rate
CCP’s bid for CCP’s bid for legitimacylegitimacy ““Performance Legitimacy”Performance Legitimacy” GrowthGrowth NationalismNationalism
– Pride in economic accomplishments Pride in economic accomplishments and growing role in international and growing role in international communitycommunity
– Preserve national unityPreserve national unity– ““Century of humiliation”Century of humiliation”
CCP’s bid for CCP’s bid for legitimacylegitimacy ““Performance Legitimacy”Performance Legitimacy” GrowthGrowth NationalismNationalism Maintain political orderMaintain political order
– Traditional concern for stabilityTraditional concern for stability– Rising protests around countryRising protests around country– Concerns about migrant workersConcerns about migrant workers
Challenges to CCP’s Challenges to CCP’s legitimacylegitimacy EconomicEconomic
– InequalityInequality– CorruptionCorruption– PollutionPollution– Current economic slowdownCurrent economic slowdown– Rising aspirations?Rising aspirations?
NationalismNationalism– Both elite driven and popular nationalismBoth elite driven and popular nationalism
OrderOrder– Most protests are direct if unintended Most protests are direct if unintended
consequence of pro-growth policiesconsequence of pro-growth policies– How to balance growth and stability?How to balance growth and stability?
CCP’s Strategy for CCP’s Strategy for SurvivalSurvival
CoercionCoercion– A hallmark of any authoritarian A hallmark of any authoritarian
regimeregime– But costlyBut costly
CCP’s Strategy for CCP’s Strategy for SurvivalSurvival
CoercionCoercion Co-optationCo-optation
– Potential threatsPotential threats– New talent needed for policy goalsNew talent needed for policy goals– Chinese universities are now main Chinese universities are now main
recruitment areas for CCPrecruitment areas for CCP– ““Three Represents”Three Represents”
CCP’s Strategy for CCP’s Strategy for SurvivalSurvival
CoercionCoercion Co-optationCo-optation Limit the flow of informationLimit the flow of information
– MediaMedia– InternetInternet– Prevent their use for political Prevent their use for political
purposes, but make them available purposes, but make them available for leisure and especially economic for leisure and especially economic purposespurposes
CCP’s Strategy for CCP’s Strategy for SurvivalSurvival
CoercionCoercion Co-optationCo-optation Limit the flow of informationLimit the flow of information Raise the cost of collective actionRaise the cost of collective action
– CCP monopoly on political CCP monopoly on political organizationorganization
– Protests are local, material demandsProtests are local, material demands
Prospects for changeProspects for change
Despite the many problems linked Despite the many problems linked to economic development, CCP to economic development, CCP remains popularremains popular
Most Chinese optimistic about Most Chinese optimistic about futurefuture
No viable alternativeNo viable alternative Will change come from within the Will change come from within the
party or from society?party or from society?