Chinese Leaders Present Flowers to Heroes’ Monument on National Day

Organization of the People’s Republic of China

Parallel Hierarchies• The Communist Party (CCP)• The State (or Government)• The People’s Liberation Army

• Each track is separate, yet the CCP dominates the other two.

Ethel Wood. AP Comparative Government and Politics. (2009)

Principle of Dual Role

• Relationship between party and government.

• Vertical Supervision by the higher level.

• Horizontal Supervision of government by the party.

Chinese Communist Party

• China is a One-Party System.– No other parties can control power.– Through horizontal supervision, the CCP controls

government organizations.

• Mass Party System– One party represents the interests of the masses.

Structure of the CCP

General Secretary (1)

Standing Committee (7-9)

Politburo (Approx. 25)

Central Committee (Approx. 350)

National Party Congress (2,000+)

ELECTS OR APPOINTS

DIRECTS/OVERSEE

National Party Congress

• Members chosen from lower level governments.• Meet once every 5 years.• Not important for policy making.• Appoint Central Committee.

Central Committee

• Meet annually for a week (“plenum”).• Choose Politburo and Standing Committee.• Little influence on policy.

Politburo and Standing Committee

• Democratic Centralism.• Craft China’s policy.• Not accountable to other levels of CCP.• Standing Committee members

are from the Politburo.• Oversee ministries

Politburo and Standing Committee

• “Collective Responsibility”• Decisions made in secret.• Lack of TRANSPARENCY.– Operate openly?– Keep citizens informed

of process?– Accountable to citizens?

General Secretary

• Formerly “Chairman”• Now, works more

collectively with Politburo.• Less powerful during Era of

Deng Xiaoping.

Deng Xiaoping• Didn’t have an official

leadership position.• “Paramount Leader”

Party Elders

• Important in post-Mao Era.• “Retired” party leaders who

continue to influence members of Politburo.

• “GUANXI”– Importance of personal

connections/relationships in China.

– Old-Boys Network.– Type of “PATRON-CLIENT

NETWORK”

Patron-Client NetworkPATRON

• Provides power/services

• Deng Xiaoping (paramount leader) – Helps career of next

generation of leaders.

CLIENT

• provides loyalty/supportDeng’s Proteges

• General Secretary & President Jiang Zemin (1993-2003)

• General Secretary & President Hu Jintao (2003-2013)

Recruitment of Party Elites

• Nomenklatura– Similar to USSR

• Guanxi– Connections

“Chinese Promotion Puts Official on Track for Presidency.”

General Secretary/President Hu Jintao on left.Vice President Xi Jinping on right.

Consider some of the concerns from the video.

• According to the clip, why is authoritarianism good for business?

• Does political freedom=economic instability?• Would “rampant democracy” be bad for

China?• Who seems to benefit from authoritarianism

in China?• Who would benefit from democracy in China?

Technocrats in the Politburo

• Technocrats– Highly-educated bureaucrats/leaders who make

decisions based on technical expertise.• 8 of 9 Standing Committee are Engineers.– Hu: Hydraulic Engineer– Xi Jinping: Chemical Engineer

• Contrast with Mao Era– Revolutionary leaders had little to no higher education.

• Chinese tradition of bureaucratic hierarchy based on scholarship.

Communist Party Rank and File

• Between 70-80 million members.• 80% male• Receive perks• Advancement through Nomenklatura and Guanxi

Candidates• Screened and tested• Must be backed by existing member (Guanxi)• Training and probationary period• 2001: Officially began accepting capitalists.

“Young, Gifted, and Red”

Answer these questions in your notebook.

1. List several reasons why younger people are joining the communist party.

2. Explain why Western-style democracy is not a high priority.

3. According to the article, what’s more important?

Structure of the Government• Three branches of

government– Executive, Legislative,

Judicial• All controlled by CCP.– Not independent

National People’s Congress (NPC)

• Unicameral• 1982 Constitution: the

“most powerful” part of the state.

• Reality: Largely a rubber stamp for CCP

• NPC meets for two weeks every year.

• Picks President – but chooses from a list

of one candidate.

Members• Approx. 3,000 deputies• 5-year term• Elected by deputies of

provincial congresses.• Large Majority are CCP• 80% male

Executive Branch

• Head of State: President

• Largely Ceremonial• Negotiates with world leaders• Last two General Secretaries have

been President• Technically appoints Prime

Minister (Premier)

• Head of Government: Premier (Prime Minister)

• Directs the State Council (Bureaucracy)

• Oversees implementation of policy

• Can serve two five-year terms• A CCP Standing Committee member

Executive Branch

State Council• Cabinet of approx. 40 members• Direct the massive bureaucracy• Members determined by CCP leaders

Bureaucracy• “Cadres:” Bureaucrats paid by government or CCP.– Approx. 40 million cadres.– Vast majority work at county level or lower.– Must retire by age 70.

Executive Branch

Central Military Commission (CMC)• Controls the People’s Liberation Army (PLA)

– Largest in the world in size (3 million active; 1 million reserve)– Largely responsible for Mao’s rise to power.

• Powerful and influential• Last two General Secretaries/Presidents have also

been the CMC chair.

“The Party commands the gun, and the gun must never be allowed to command the party.”

• Chairman Mao

Judicial Branch

• Four-tiered “People’s Court.”– Criminal law cases have a 99% conviction rate.• Harsh punishment • Highest number of death penalty sentences.

– Civil courts create an avenue for redress for loss of property.

• No judicial review of government laws.