AP COMP GOV UNIT 3

China Comparative Government Study Flashcards

1. Authoritarianism & Chinese Political Culture

1. What is an authoritarian regime?

   • A system where a small group of individuals holds power without constitutional accountability to the public.

2. How is totalitarianism different from authoritarianism?

   • Totalitarianism controls all aspects of life (career, family, beliefs), whereas authoritarianism does not.

3. What are the key methods of control in authoritarian regimes?

   • Coercion (force), cooptation (absorbing opposition), and personality cults (glorifying leaders).

4. Why is China significant in comparative government?

   • Unique history, one of the few remaining communist nations, economic success under authoritarian rule, geographic protection, and a single dominant ethnicity (Han, 90%).

5. What are key Confucian values in Chinese political culture?

   • Hierarchical order, loyalty to the collective, merit-based bureaucracy, and respect for authority.

6. What was the Mandate of Heaven?

   • The belief that emperors ruled with divine approval, which could be lost due to disasters or corruption.

7. What is guanxi, and why is it important in Chinese politics?

   • Personal connections that help individuals achieve goals, often leading to favoritism and corruption.

8. What is the role of Confucianism in modern Chinese governance?

   • It emphasizes hierarchy, moral leadership, and governance through virtue rather than law.

2. Historical Origins of Chinese Government

9. What was the "Century of Humiliation" (1839-1949)?

   • A period of economic decline, foreign domination (Opium Wars, Sino-Japanese War), and national humiliation leading to revolution.

10. Who was Sun Yat-sen, and what did he believe?

• Founder of the Republic of China and Nationalist Party (KMT); supported nationalism, democracy, and social welfare.

11. What were the two political forces vying for power from 1911-1949?

• The Nationalist Party (KMT), led by Chiang Kai-Shek, and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), led by Mao Zedong.

12. What was the Long March (1934-1935)?

• A strategic retreat by the CCP during the Civil War, which helped Mao Zedong consolidate power.

13. How did the CCP gain popular support before taking power?

• They resisted Japanese occupation in WWII and later defeated the Nationalists in the Civil War.

14. When was the People’s Republic of China (PRC) established?

• In 1949, when the CCP, led by Mao Zedong, took control, and the Nationalists fled to Taiwan.

15. What was Maoism, and how did it differ from Soviet Marxism?

• Maoism focused on peasant-led revolution, collectivism, and self-reliance, unlike the Soviet model, which was based on industrial workers.

16. What was the Hundred Flowers Campaign (1956-1957)?

• A brief period where Mao encouraged free speech, later followed by a crackdown on critics.

17. What was the Great Leap Forward (1957-1958)?

• Mao’s failed attempt to rapidly industrialize China through collectivization, leading to economic collapse and famine.

18. What was the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976)?

• A movement to eliminate old traditions, with Red Guards purging perceived enemies of communism.

19. How did Deng Xiaoping reform China’s economy?

• Introduced market reforms, Four Modernizations (industry, agriculture, science, military), and foreign trade.

20. What was Deng Xiaoping’s famous quote on economic policy?

• "It doesn’t matter whether a cat is white or black, as long as it catches mice." (Pragmatism over ideology).

3. Political Institutions & Government Structure

21. What type of government does China have?

• A single-party authoritarian state under CCP rule.

22. What is the official title of the Chinese government?

• "A socialist state under the people’s democratic dictatorship."

23. Who is the current Head of State and Head of Government?

• President Xi Jinping (Head of State) and Premier Li Qiang (Head of Government).

24. What is the structure of China’s government?

• Parallel hierarchies of the CCP, state, and military, with the CCP dominating.

25. What is the role of the National People’s Congress?

• It is China’s unicameral legislature, but it mostly rubber-stamps CCP decisions.

26. What is the Politburo Standing Committee?

• The most powerful decision-making body, composed of 7 members from the CCP leadership.

27. What is the role of the Central Military Commission (CMC)?

• It controls the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and ensures military loyalty to the CCP.

4. Society, Economy & Political Participation

28. What is the hukou system?

• A household registration system that restricts migration and limits rural citizens' access to urban benefits.

29. What is the Iron Rice Bowl?

• Mao’s promise of guaranteed jobs, housing, and healthcare, later dismantled under reforms.

30. What are Special Economic Zones (SEZs)?

• Areas with reduced trade restrictions to attract foreign investment.

31. What was the Tiananmen Square Protest (1989)?

• A pro-democracy demonstration by students, violently suppressed by the CCP.

32. How does China control the media?

• The government censors criticism, controls the internet, and monitors social media.

33. What is the Floating Population in China?

• Rural migrants working in cities without hukou benefits, creating a large underclass.

34. What are the main ethnic cleavages in China?

• Han Chinese (90%) vs. minorities such as Tibetans, Uighurs, and Hui Muslims.

35. What are the main urban-rural inequalities in China?

• Urban residents earn much more and have better infrastructure, while rural areas remain underdeveloped.

36. What are common forms of political participation in China?

• CCP membership, protests, interest groups, NGOs, and village elections at the local level.

37. What is state corporatism?

• A system where the government controls interest groups rather than allowing independent civil society.

38. How has China’s civil society changed in recent years?

• Growth of NGOs and private organizations, but they must avoid political activism.

39. What is the role of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions?

• A state-run organization that represents workers but does not challenge CCP control.

40. What are the biggest sources of political protest in China today?

• Corruption, labor issues, environmental concerns, and ethnic unrest (Tibet, Xinjiang, Hong Kong protests).