China

Chinese History

Mao Zedong

Maoism

• Belief that communism needs the support of the peasant to work

• Key Values

  • Collectivism

  • Struggle and activism

  • Egalitarianism

  • Self reliance

• Mass Line

  • Leaders would communicate their will/direction directly to people, but people would communicate through mass line to leaders

The Soviet Model (1949-1957)

• Land Reform

  • Redistributed property from rich to poor

• Civil Reform

  • Freed people from Opium addiction

  • Enhance women’s legal rights

• Five-Year Plans

  • Nationalized industry

  • Collectivized agriculture

  • Private property eliminated

The Great Leap Forward (1958-1966)

• Wanted to free China from Soviet domination

• Utopian effort to transform China into an egalitarian society

• Equal emphasis on industry and agriculture

• Mass mobilization of population

• Mixed results

Cultural Revolution (1966-1976)

• Different from Greap Leap Forward

• Goal - remove references to “Old” China

  • Libraries/Universities destroyed

  • Emphasis on elementary education only

• Wanted to mobilize and convince the youth of China in support of Maoism

  • Wanted to indoctrinate the youth

Mao’s Death (1976)

• Radicals - Led by Mao’s Wife

  • Supported cultural revolution

• Military

• Moderates - (Deng Xiaoping)

  • Emphasized economic reform and some contact with other countries

  • Won government

Economic Reform (Deng Xiaoping)

Economic Modernizations

• Four Modernizations

  • Industry, Agriculture, Science, Military

  • Very successful

• Open Door Trade Policy

  • Designted cities and ports for international trade

  • Heavily regulated trade

  • Led to rapid advancement in certain areas while others left behind

• Expansion of higher education (reversal of cultural revolution policy)

• Restored legal system and bureaucracy

• Socialist Market Economy

• Household Responsibility System

  • Replaced communes

  • After paying taxes/contract fees to govt, families may consume/sell what they produce

• Special Economic Zones

  • Promoted foreign investment

• Economic Success

  • Fastest growing economy in the world for more than two decades

  • GDP per capita grew at average rate of 9%

• Economic Problems

  • No more “iron rice bowl” - cradle to give benefits

  • Unemployment

  • Inequality

  • High Pollution

  • High urban migration with restrictive movement laws - Floating Population

• Hukou - household registration system

Political Institutions

Government Basics

• Authoritarian / Single party communist system

• Unitary system

• Constitution - established in 1982

• Head of Party and State - Xi Jinping

• Head of Government - Li Qiang

• Unicameral Legislature

• Judiciary - Not independent, no judicial review

Communist Party Structure

National Party Congress

• More than 2000 delegates

• Meets every 5 years

• Rubberstamps decisions made by party leaders

• Elects members of Central Committee

Central Committee

• About 340 members

  • Elected for a 5 year term by National Party Congress

  • Secret ballot/candidates limited

• Meets annually

• Carries out business of the National Party Congress between sessions

Politburo

• Chosen by Central Committee

• Dictates government policies

• Meets in secret

• 25 members

Standing Committee

• Most powerful political organization in China

• 7 members, chosen by Politburo

• Membership is a mirror of faction influence

General Secretary

• Chosen from the Standing Comittee

• Head of the CCP

Factionalism

• Guanxi

  • Chinese word that means “connections” or “relationships”

  • Describes personal ties between individuals based on such things as common birthplace or mutual acquaintances

• Factions

  • Conservatives (hard-liners)

  • Reformers/Open Door

  • Liberals (out of power since Tiananmen Square)

  • Princelings - aristocracy of families with revolutionary credentials from days of Mao

  • Shanghai Gang - associates of former leader Jiang Zemin - emphasis on Guanxi

  • Chinese Communist Youth League

Government Structure

• 3 branches

  • All controlled by communist party

  • No check/balances

Executive

• Head of State

  • President

  • Serves 5 year terms (unlimited # of terms)

  • At least 45 years old

  • Senior Party Leaders (Recently General Secretary and President are the same)

• Head of Government (Li Quiang)

  • Premier

  • Formally appointed by President, always from Standing Committee

  • Directs the State Council (made up of ministers that direct the bureaucracy)

Bureaucracy

• Exists on all levels

  • very large in size and power

• Very hierarchical

• Made up of Cadres (30 million)

  • Person who exercises a position of authority in communist government

  • May or may not be party members

  • Most must retire between 60-70

• China recruits leaders through Cadres (nomenklatura)

  • System of choosing Cadres from lowers levels of party hierarchy for advancement based on their loyalty/contributions to party

• Dual role

  • Supervised by higer levels of government and communist party

Legislature

• National People’s Congress

  • “Formal” authority of government to rule on people’s behalf

  • Meets once a year in March for two week

  • 2900+ members (deputies)

  • 5 year terms

  • Chosen from lower people’s congresses

  • Chooses President/VP - but only one candidate for each

  • Has little actual power (rubber stamps Xi Jinping’s policies)

  • Announces Politburo’s policies

Judiciary

• Peoples Court System

• People Procuratorate - supplie lawyers

• No rule of law under Mao, but acknowledged today (not fully transitioned)

  • Business liberalization pushed the change (wanted predictability and continuity)

• Party uses Judiciary as a weapon

• Criminal Justice system works quickly and harshly - 99% conviction rate

  • World leader in use of the death penalty

The People’s Liberation Army

• World’s largest military force - 2.3 million active personnel

• CCP controls the military

• Central Military Commission

  • 12 members: 10 of highest ranking officers of PLA + President + VP

  • Chair is commander-in-chief and has always been highest ranking party member