AP COMP GOV UNIT 4: CHINA

What was Reform and Opening?

Deng Xiaoping’s economic liberalization policy in 1970 that led to significant GDP growth and development.

What were the 1989 Tiananmen Square Protests?

Chinese party state crushed pro-reform demonstrations in Tiananmen Square in Beijing in 1989.

What are the two major rivers that contributed to China’s prosperity?

Yellow (Huang He) River and Yangtze (Chang Jiang) River.

What is the largest ethnic group of China?

Han Chinese (90%).

What was the One Child Policy and how has it affected China?

Policy limiting families to one child, leading to population imbalances and a disproportionately large older generation.

What was the significance of dynastic China?

China was a leader of learning, innovation, and technological advancement but eventually isolated itself from the West, causing it to fall behind during the Enlightenment and Industrial Revolution.

What is Confucianism?

Philosophy emphasizing social harmony, hierarchical roles, meritocracy, obedience, civil service, and meritocratic bureaucracy.

What was the difference between the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in the 20th century?

Kuomintang was the Nationalist party founded by Sun Yatsen, while the CCP was formed in 1921 and has been the authoritarian ruling party since 1949.

Who was Sun Yat-sen?

Founder of the KMT and known as the “Father of Modern China”.

Who was Mao Zedong?

Leader of the Chinese Communist Party who dominated Chinese politics from the founding of the PRC to his death in 1976.

What were Mao Zedong’s major policy executions?

Hundred Flowers Campaign, Great Leap Forward, and Cultural Revolution.

What was the May Fourth Movement?

Student led protests and anti-imperialist cultural political movement growing out of demonstrations in Beijing.

What was the Long March?

CCP's 6000-mile retreat to NW China during the Civil War with the KMT, resulting in many deaths but boosting Mao's PR with peasants.

What is the People’s Liberation Army?

China’s military, formed during the war with Japan. Serves as a symbol of continuity, legitimacy, and strength.

What was the Hundred Flowers Campaign?

Program in which Mao encouraged public criticism, then cracked down on his critics.

What was the Great Leap Forward?

Mao’s disastrous effort to modernize China through localized industrial production and agricultural communes.

How did Mao construct his cult of personality?

Using the “Little Red Book” Quotations from chairman Mao Zedong and encouraging students to challenge bureaucracy.

Who were the Red Guards?

Student radicals who served as Mao’s shock troops during the Cultural Revolution.

What was the Cultural Revolution?

Mao’s radical movement launched in 1966 to regain political control from rivals and resulting in a decade of social/political chaos.

Who was Deng Xiaoping?

Successor to Mao who implemented more open policies in the economy.

What was the “Chinese Dream”?

Policy vision calling for China’s national rejuvenation, modernization, and prosperity, including strength, civility, harmony, and beauty.

Who was Hu Jintao?

Predecessor to Xi Jinping, led “harmonious society” effort.

What was “Harmonious Society”?

CCP propaganda term for the continuation of economic reform but with more concern for growing wealth and welfare gap between urban and rural china.

What were the “Three Represents”?

Private entrepreneurs welcomed into the CCP.

Who are the Red Capitalists?

CCP members who are private entrepreneurs.

What was the Iron Rice Bowl?

Mao’s promise of cradle-grave health care, work, and retirement security.

What was the Reds versus Experts phenomena?

Mao’s policy favoring politically indoctrinated party cadres (reds) over people who had economic training (experts).

What was the household responsibility system?

Deng’s successful 1980’s rural reform program of decreased production quotas and the ability to sell surplus crops on a free market.

What was the Beijing Consensus?

Neomercantilist model of state led capitalist development adopted by China and proposed as alternative to western neoliberal model (Washington Consensus).

What were the two factions in the CCP regarding how to address economic reform?

Populists: CCP officials who have risen from relatively humble backgrounds and favor decreased inequality.
Elitists: CCP officials who are offspring of former high ranking cadre and favor economic growth and market liberalization

What is the predominant political economic ideology of China?

Communism.

What division of power does China have?

Unitary.

What is China’s regime?

Authoritarian.

What party system does China have?

One party.

What is the difference between one party and one party dominant system?

One party dominant state: Multiple parties may exist, but one party has the largest political advantage.
One party state: One party is allowed to have government control. Based off authoritarian rule

Who is the President of China?

Xi Jinping.

What titles does Xi Jinping have?

President,
General Secretary (Head of CCP),
Chair of Military Commission (Head of PLA)

What legislative system does China have?

Unicameral.

What is China’s legislative body?

National People’s Congress (NPC).

What is the role of China’s legislative body?

Make laws (ceremonial), Elect president and Confirm Premier.

How is the Premier chosen?

Appointed by the President.

Who is China’s Premier?

Li Qiang.

What are the three main pillars of China’s government?

National Party Congress, National People’s Congress (NPC), and People’s liberation army.

What is the hierarchy of the National Party Congress? (Least to greatest power)

2000 National Party Congress Members → Central Committee (204 members) → Politburo (25 people) → Politburo Standing Committee (7 members) → General Secretary (Xi Jinping)

How often does the National Party Congress meet and what for?

Every 5 years; announce changes in leadership.

What is the hierarchy of the National People’s Congress?

3000 NPC members → Standing Committee (175 people) → State Council (35 people) → Premier (Li Qiang) → President (Xi Jinping)

What is the major hierarchy of the People’s Liberation Army?

2 million PLA members → some other structures that we didn’t learn → Central military commission (7 members) → Chair of the Military Commission (Xi Jinping)

What executive system is China considered to have?

Dictatorship: Head of state = head of govt.

Who does the electorate directly elect?

Local leaders.

What groups make up the NPC?

71% CCP, 9% PLA, 8 minor “parties”

What is the significance of the courts in China?

Rule by law, No judicial review, Used by CCP to enforce power and eliminate political opponents and Not many civil liberties.

What major shift has China’s economy undergone since the late 70’s?

Command to Market (Capitalism with Chinese characteristics/Socialist market economy) Economy.

Who was in charge of China’s shift to a market economy?

Deng Xiaoping (Mao Zedong successor).

What was the open door policy?

Allowing foreign investors and involvement.

What are state owned enterprises?

Major companies owned by the government, mostly natural resources and tech.

What impact did membership into the World Trade Organization have on China’s economy?

Helped open China’s economy, decreased control, increased investors.

What are special economic zones?

Special areas with incentives for foreign investment (tax breaks and fewer regulations).

What is the floating population?

300 million nomads from country to city.

What is Danwei?

Government assigned jobs under Mao, still used to refer to occupation.

What is Hukou (household registration system)?

Chinese citizens designated residence, determines access to government services.

How is Hukou and floating population related?

There are not many opportunities for rural Chinese citizens except for farming, which does not pay very well. However, it is not easy for Chinese citizens to relocate to the city because their access to services like healthcare is limited to their assigned hukou. As such, people who are stuck in a limbo where they cannot obtain permanent residency in the city but also want to leave the country are members of the 300 million floating population.

What are GONGOs?

Government operated non-governmental organizations i. Women’s federation ii. All China Federation of Trade Unions iii. Youth Development Foundation

How does China feel about NGOs?

They don’t like them.

Describe Chinese internet censorship

“Golden Shield” (official name)/”Great firewall of China” (silly name)
Government heavily monitors and censors information on the internet

What is the major religion of China?

No major religion but CCP is pushing Confucianism.

How does confucianism relate to the government?

Government imposes a moral code to foster “correct” behavior. Emphasis on hierarchy and social harmony. Peace, order, stability (Superiors assert authority over inferiors) “Small prosperity” = moderately well off society

What was Maoism?

Mao believes that revolutionary success hinged on altering thought patterns completely
Constant class struggle
Collective > individual
Loyalty to community
Egalitarianism
Promoted ideas of willing economic development instead of prioritizing expertise
When his ideas failed, he thought that was a sign to be even more radical.

How does nationalism impact political culture?

Nationalism → Xenophobia

What are some challenges to China’s Communist Political Culture?

Support for pro reform movements (Tiananmen square)
Dissent by rural poor and industrial workers and ethnic minorities
Falun Gong, Christian house churches
Internet/social media
Trade, study, travel → Increased western ideas

What are the major cleavages of Chinese society?

Civil Rights. Ethnic Groups. Environmental issues

What is Guanxi?

Social network, progress and privileges connected to who you know

What is the social credit system?

China uses their exceptional surveillance system to assign each citizen with a social credit score that lowers with every act that the CCP deems bad (protesting)

What is the state of environmental issues in China?

China is a major contributor to global pollution
Airpocalypse (terrible air quality, health problems for citizens)

Why is China so reluctant to comply with environmental reforms?

Environmental reform would require scaling back economic growth.

How has China’s foreign policy shifted?

Historically isolationist to more open recently.

What is China’s major form of interaction with other countries?

Trade.

What are some supranational organizations that China is part of?

ASEAN and UN.

Describe China’s relationship with the United States

Frosty, with USA but still USA is China’s largest trade partner.

What are China’s territorial disputes?

Tense relationship with many neighbors (17 disputes)
Tibet
Taiwan
India
Hong Kong
Japan

What was Falun Gong?

Meditative martial arts movement founded in 1992 and banned 1999 as “evil cult” many members killed

What are the “Autonomous areas” of China?

60% of China’s territory, areas designated to ethnic groups

What system identifies Hong Kong?

“One Country, Two Systems” = 50 years of being a “special autonomous zone”
Why? Hong Kong was previously a British colony therefore used to democracy

What is the relationship between Taiwan and China?

China does not want to recognize Taiwan as independent country, but Taiwan recognizes itself as its own “Republic of China”
Strong cultural and economic ties (China is Taiwan’s biggest trade partner)
China likes to conduct military operations/drills close to Taiwan just to piss them off haha (😬)