The Nuts and Bolts of the Chinese Political System

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

The Chinese Communist The Chinese Communist PartyParty

78 million members78 million members• About 6% of About 6% of populationpopulation

The Chinese Communist The Chinese Communist PartyParty

78 million members78 million members• About 6% of About 6% of populationpopulation

Criteria for Criteria for recruitmentrecruitment

• EducationEducation• AgeAge• GenderGender• Urban biasUrban bias

The Chinese Communist The Chinese Communist PartyParty

78 million members78 million members• About 6% of About 6% of populationpopulation

Criteria for Criteria for recruitmentrecruitment

• EducationEducation• AgeAge• GenderGender• Urban biasUrban bias

Most key positions Most key positions held by CCP 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 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

Per CapitaGDP

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

1980

1982

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

2008

Per

Cap

ita

GD

P

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

% G

row

th

China’s Economic Growth, 1980-2009

Per Capita GDP

% Growth

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

Challenges to CCP’s Challenges to CCP’s legitimacylegitimacy EconomicEconomic

– InequalityInequality– CorruptionCorruption– PollutionPollution– 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?