AP comp gov China

Mass line

Public input → CCP interpretation → party policy.

Mao Zedong Thought

Peasant-led revolution, class struggle, and continuous revolution.

Socialism

Collective or state ownership aimed at reducing class inequality.

Centrally planned economy

Government—not markets—decides production, prices, and distribution.

Collectivization

Combining private farms into large, collective farms.

State-owned enterprises (SOEs)

Businesses owned or controlled by government.

Iron Rice Bowl

Guaranteed lifetime employment and benefits for state-sector workers.

Hukou

Household registration tying access to public services to registered residence.

Great Leap Forward (1958–1962)

Rapid industrialization and collectivization campaign; contributed to mass famine.

Cultural Revolution (1966–1976)

Mao mobilized followers to purge opponents and “capitalist” influences.

Totalitarianism

State seeks control over nearly all public and private life.

Socialist market economy

Market competition alongside state ownership and CCP political control.

Household responsibility system

Families farm assigned land and sell surplus; land remains collectively owned.

One-Child Policy

Restricted most families to one child; exceptions existed.

Tiananmen Square protests (1989)

Demands for political reform; military crackdown demonstrated limits of liberalization.

Floating population

Internal migrants living outside their registered hukou area.

Collective decision-making

Senior leaders share power and seek consensus rather than follow one dominant leader.

Technocrats

Leaders chosen partly for technical expertise rather than revolutionary credentials.

Developmental state

Government directs investment and industrial policy to promote economic growth.

Xi’s anti-corruption campaign and power consolidation

Punishes corruption and removes rivals, strengthening personal rule.

Uyghur repression

Detention, surveillance, and restrictions on religion and culture in Xinjiang.

Economic and technological trends

High-tech development and self-reliance alongside slower growth and an aging population.

Social Credit System

Compliance records, blacklists, and penalties—not one universal citizen score.

General Secretary

Top CCP leader; most important political leadership position.

Politburo / Standing Committee

Politburo sets major policy; Standing Committee is its smaller, most powerful inner circle.

National Party Congress / Central Committee

Congress selects Central Committee; committee formally selects top party leadership.

Central Military Commission (CMC) / PLA

CMC commands the PLA; military answers to the party.

Party Organization Department / nomenklatura

Department manages appointments; nomenklatura = party-controlled key posts; cadres = party/state officials.

Vanguardism and CCP membership

Selective, disciplined party claims authority to lead society.

President

Formal head of state; distinct from leadership of the CCP.

National People’s Congress (NPC)

National legislature; formally passes laws and approves leaders under CCP control.

State Council

Executive administration led by the premier; implements policy.

Mass organizations

Party-supervised groups representing workers, women, youth, and other constituencies.

State corporatism

State controls interest representation through officially approved organizations.

Rule of law in the PRC

Limited: courts lack independence from CCP political authority.

Democratic centralism

Internal discussion before decisions; mandatory obedience afterward.