The Nuts and Bolts of the Chinese Political System Bruce Dickson George Washington University

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 Committee (200)



Politburo (25)




Politburo Standing Committee (9)

Politburo (25)




General Secretary

Politburo Standing Committee (9)

Politburo (25)



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


National People’s Congress


Central Committee

Prime MinisterState Council

Chinese legislators at workChinese legislators at work







Central Committee


Prime Minister WEN JiabaoPrime Minister WEN Jiabao





Central Committee




Provincial People’sCongresses

Local People’sCongresses

Provincial Governments

Local Governments





Central Committee




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

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2000

1978

1982

1987

1992

1997

2002

2007

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cap

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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


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”


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


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?

Documents

The Nuts and Bolts of the Chinese Political System Bruce Dickson George Washington University