China Presentation By: Andrew Ratzlaff, Jack Hayes, Chad Watwood, Luke Clayton and Jonathan Martin
Feb 23, 2016
China Presentation
By: Andrew Ratzlaff, Jack Hayes, Chad Watwood, Luke Clayton and Jonathan
Martin
Basic Information
• Largest population of any country- 1.35 billion• 3rd largest land size• 2nd largest economy in the world
Levels of Government
• 22 provinces• 5 Autonomous regions• 4 Centrally Administered Municipalities
(Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Chongqing)• 2 Administrative regions (Hong Kong and
Macau)
Centralization Trends
• Economic• Politically• People lack various rights
Executive Branch
• Dual Executive branch• President is Head of State (Xi Jinping currently)• Premier is Head of Government (Li Keqiang
currently)
Executive Branch
• Premier approved by Central Committee• Premier powers• Non-competitive
Executive Branch
• Recent Elections• Referendums for approval• Cabinet• Chosen by party• Technocrats
Legislative Branch
• Asymmetric Bicameral• Central Committee-204 (Upper)• National People’s Congress-2100 (Lower)
Legislative Branch
• No runoffs, “competitive elections”• Hierarchy• Politburo influence• All CCP
Political System
• Loose parliamentary system• Party Lines• “Fusion of Powers”
Political Culture
• Prideful, people seem to respect central government as long as economy grows
• Long lasting from dynastic rule• Deng Xiaoping Theory• Communist mentality• No “I” in team
Political Socialization
• Family• Media• While censored, can still show different view
points • Government • Implements a class on the party in schools
Political Cleavage
• Location, Location, Ethnicity • NW part of China- Tibet, Uighers (~90 Han Chinese)• Urban-RuralLarge gap in income and overall lifestyle• Non coinciding• Bring revolutions/uprisings in the country
Media Role in China
• Watchdog• Television- CCTV, Xinhua• Papers-People’s Daily• “Internet”- Great Firewall• Not all is censored
Media Roles
• Government control has lessened over some outlets
• Government still can interfere if they go “too far”
• Heavily monitored internet• #nohashtagsforyou
Political Participation • Voting
– Increased in recent years as more competitiveness increases• All elections are indirect and already created bodies vote
for higher up• Chinese Communist Party
– State party where most people express interest • Youth League
Political Violence
• Tiananmen Square (1989)• Kashgar attack (2008)• Xinjiang Ethnic Clashes (2013)
Women in Politics/China
• Women make up 22% of Chinese law makers1/5 of CCP • Women have made strides in China in
education• Freedoms are still restricted• Workplace• One Child
Minorities
• Extremely small percentage are present in county (~8%)
• All live in separate regions of country• Many have different political identities- Tibet • 15% are in lawmaking position• Minorities are given some free range in
region • Uighers allowed to practice Islam
Policy Making
• Policy Decisions and Executives– President & Premier– Standing Committee of Politburo
• Legislative– Both houses– Approval
• Judicial Branch
Policy Making
• Fragmented Authoritarianism• Politburo power• Two sides• Secretive
Political Party
• Chinese Communist Party (CCP)• Competition?• Marxism-Leninism
– Karl Marx – Vladimir Lenin
• Source of power
Elites
• CCP Members• Guanxi • Actual power• Symbolic positions
Interest Groups
• None• “threat to the state”• Restricted speech
Bureaucracy
• 3.6 million Primary Party Organizations(branches)– Businesses– Government Offices– Schools– Neighborhoods– Wal-Mart Headquarters
• Party Secretary & Party Committee
Military
• “A people’s army created and led by the Communist Party of China”
• Central Military Commission(CMC)– Members
• 2% of GDP goes to Military– $245.2 Billion(2012)
Military
• People’s Armed Police(PAP)– Guards– Border Patrol– Counter-terrorism– Public Disturbances
Military
• Ministry of Public State Security– 1.7 million– Secret Police– Intellegence
• Serious crimes– Laogai– Laojiao– 3 years without trial
Military
• Bureaucracy• Political motivation• Judicial
Judiciary
• Judicial independence• Party control• Reform
– Number of lawyers– Number of lawsuits
• Appointments approved• Lawyers harassed
Judiciary
• Supreme People’s Court• Higher Courts(Provinces)• Intermediate Courts(Cities)• Grassroots Courts(Counties and Townships)• Judicial Review?
– Legislative Approval
Judiciary
• Official investigations• Swift & harsh• Predetermined• 99% conviction• Capital Punishment
Judiciary
• Constitution• Code law• Rule by law• Rule of law• Common law
– Guanxi
Conflict in China
• Civil War (1930s)• Nationalists in Taiwan• Invasion of Tibet (1950)• Conflicts with Soviets
Social Movements
• Tiananmen Square -1989– Lack of political freedom
• Protests over corruption, regional inequalities, etc.
• Liu Xiaobo– Nobel Peace Prize in 2010
Political Characteristics under Mao
• Very totalitarian– No political dissent– Communist Party ideals
• Cultural Revolution(1966-1976)• Mao’s “iron rice bowl”
Politics under Deng
• Softer Authoritarianism • Technocrats and other young officials• Constitution of 1982 • Lack of major political reform
Economy under Mao
• Centrally-planned, socialistic economy • Private property reform• Resource waste• Great Leap Forward(1958)
Economy under Deng
• Shift towards market economy• Private business• Change in philosophy• Economic growth • Regional inequalities
Effects of Reforms• Huge inequalities • Corruption• Historical reform trends
Globalization
• Increased globalization• Foreign investments and trade • 2nd largest trading nation
Public policy
Major Influences Communist Party of China United States and Russia WTOXi JinpingLi KeqiangZhang DejiangYu ZhengshengLiu YunshanWang QishanZhang Gaoli
Russia and the US Constant struggle for worldwide supremacy Economic competition between US and China American pressure to change to a more
market economy Cooperation with Russia in Central Asia
Social Class Welfare reforms since 1990 Imbalance of wealth distribution A nationwide minimum wage at 40% average
urban salaries Rapidly growing middle class Gini index is slowly getting better
Civil Liberties Re Education camps abolished Great Firewall Criminal Executions
Environment China is not in Mother Nature's Fave 5 Government does little to regulate dumping No Car Days Attempting to reduce air pollution by 25% by
2017 Green Wall of China
Population Loosening of the one-child policy Current population is aging China favors males over females
Terrorism Since 9/11 China increased cooperation with
worldwide counter terrorist efforts Uyghur People China does not mess around with terrorists
Corruption In 2013 China was ranked 80th out of 178 Bribing is quite common Politicians are unusually wealthy