How china is ruled: Unpacking the CCP

HOW CHINA IS RULED

Unpacking the CCP

Bright Mhango

THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY

82,000,000 + membership

Biggest political party in the world.

It was founded in 1921, chiefly by Chen

Duxiu and Li Dazhao

Sole governor of China but not only party – 8 other

legal parties are in China.

Product of the 10-year Civil war with KMT

REACH: HOW POWERFUL?

Almost all aspects of life

-Number of Children

- Content of school curriculum

- Content of TV programmes

- Market decisions

ORGANISATION

The CPC is organized on the basis of democratic

centralism.

- Inspired by Vladimir Lenin and entails

democratic and open discussion on policy on the

condition of unity in upholding the agreed upon

policies.

SO FAR..

STRUCTURE

Infograph: BBC

STRUCTURE

Infograph: The Antlatic

HIERARCHY

Highest body of the CPC is the National Congress,

convened every fifth year.

When the National Congress is not in session,

the Central Committee is the highest body.

Since NC meets once a year most duties and

responsibilities are vested in the Politburo and

its Standing Committee

IDEOLOGY OF THE CPC

Marxism–Leninism

Mao Zedong Thought,

Socialism with Chinese characteristics

Deng Xiaoping Theory

Three Represents : economy, culture, political

consensus (Jiang Zemin)

Scientific Outlook on Development.

Atheism

JOINING

Brings significant privileges: Members get access to

better information, and many jobs are only open to

members.

To join, applicants need the backing of existing

members and to undergo exhaustive checks and

examination by their local party branch. They then

face a year's probation, again involving

assessments and training.

GOVERNANCE

Provinces enjoy great autonomy – Beijing offers

policy guidance

Two sessions – CPC takes time to listen to outside

concerns

But Beijing still maintains ultimate power

SCARES

The Soviet implosion

1989 Tiananmen democracy riots

Party resolved to stay alert and watch economy,

dormant party structures and dogmatic ideology

(David Shambaugh China's Communist Party,

2008 )

Uses economy as legitimacy factor - Richard

McGregor The Party, 2010

CRITICISMS

Unrepresentative of China as a whole.

- Only a quarter of its members are women.

Obsessive about control.

-Suppressing dissent or any challenge to its

authority.

Income inequality, lack of consumer protection, land

grabs, and human rights issues. Highlighted by

Internet

Rigid FP

RESPONSE

More economic legitimacy

Opening up in the NGO sphere

Online Petitioning

Foreign training of Cadres

But still suspicious of West

REFERENCE

Beina Xu (2013)The Chinese Communist Party

http://www.cfr.org/china/chinese-communist-party/p29443

Brian Fung (2012) How China Picks Its Leaders: A Chart <

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/11/how-china-

picks-its-leaders-a-chart/264940/ >

BBC (2012) How China is ruled: Communist Party <

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-13904437 >

China.org.cn (no date) Structure of the State <

http://www.china.org.cn/english/features/state_structure/64404.htm >

Mamta Badkar (2012) The Communist Party's Enigmatic Hierarchy In

One Simple Chart < http://www.businessinsider.com/chinese-

communist-party-one-chart-2012-9#ixzz2yR8rzszq>

THE END