Chinese Communist Party parallels and dominates all other state institutions. 1. Political Implications of Economic Reform in China. Totalitarianism Authoritarianism charismatic leader more routinized succession single dominant party single dominant party - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Chinese Communist Party parallels and dominates all other state institutions 1 Com m unistParty legislature executive G eneralSecretary (H u Jintao) Chairm an (W u Bangguo) Prem ier (W en Jiabao) Politburo of CentralCom m ittee National People’sC ongress State C ouncil party structure parallelsand dominates all other elements of the state bureaucracy Traditionally a rubber stamp for party decisions ; nom inally elected butparty supervises nom ination of candidates implements party policy; overseesall governm ent m inistries, state- ow ned factories, schools, etc.
Transcript
Chinese Communist Party parallels and dominates all other state institutions
1
Communist Party
legislature executive
General Secretary
(Hu Jintao)
Chairman
(Wu Bangguo)
Premier
(Wen Jiabao)
Politburo of Central Committee
National People’s Congress
State Council
party structure parallels and
dominates all other elements of the state
bureaucracy
Traditionally a rubber stamp for party decisions;
nominally elected but party supervises
nomination of candidates
implements party policy;
oversees all government
ministries, state-owned factories,
schools, etc.
Political Implications of Economic Reform in China
World Values SurveyPeople’s Republic of China, 2001
A165.- Generally speaking, would you say that most people can be trusted or that you need to be very careful in dealing with people?
1 Most people can be trusted
2 Can´t be too careful
World Values SurveyPeople’s Republic of China, 2001
A170.- All things considered, how satisfied are you with your life as a whole these days?
1 Dissatisfied 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Satisfied
World Values SurveyChina
A173.- Some people feel they have completely free choice and control over their lives, while other people feel that what they do has no real effect on what happens to them. Please use this scale where 1 means "none at all" and 10 means "a great deal" to indicate how much freedom of choice and control you feel you have over the way your life turns out.
1 None at all 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 9 10 A great deal
World Values SurveyPeople’s Republic of China, 2001
E110.- On the whole are you very satisfied, rather satisfied, not very satisfied or not at all satisfied with the way democracy is developing in our country?
1 Very satisfied 2 Rather satisfied 3 Not very satisfied 4 Not at all satisfied
World Values SurveyPeople’s Republic of China, 1990, 2001
E070.- I am going to name a number of organizations. For each one, could you tell me how much confidence you have in them: is it a great deal of confidence, quite a lot of confidence, not very much confidence or none at all?
The armed forces
1 A great deal 2 Quite a lot 3 Not very much 4 None at all
Perspectives on the potential for democracy today “not free”
Civic culture Survey data
Civil society Interest groups
Existing institutions “rubber-stamp legislature”
Rule by law Changing role for courts
Perspectives on the potential for democracy:Civil Society
Definition of civil society a sphere of independent group activity
autonomous from the state and free from state domination
Definition of pluralism (U.S.) a system of interest representation in
which any group can freely form to express interests autonomous from state control
Perspectives on the potential for democracy:Civil Society
Definition of state corporatism (P.R.C.) a system of interest representation in
which only certain groups are licensed by the state and accept limitations on their expression of interest
Perspectives on the potential for democracy:Civil Society
State corporatism The authoritarian state uses a corporatist
approach to Pre-empt the formation of unapproved interest groups
NO duplicates allowed (state occupies existing “space”) Coopt the interests expressed by approved groups
Official recognition in exchange for limits; state sponsor Repress the expression of interests outside the control of
the state. 1998 “Regulations on the Registration and
Management of Social Organizations” implemented by the Ministry of Civil
Affairs
Perspectives on the potential for democracy:Civil Society
Civil society More than 200,000
registered social organizations
Others repressed Tiananmen
Square, Autonomous Student Union 1989 violently suppressed
China Democracy Party 1998 leaders imprisoned
Perspectives on the potential for democracy:Civil Society
Internet “Virtual civil society” or “Great Firewall”Can the state
control 400 million Internet users, instant messaging, etc.?
Xiamen Protest against Parazylene Chemical Plant
Media expansion23
TV and radio Approx. 1,000 TV stations
Print 2,035 newpapers (2003)
Internet 300 million internet users (1 in 4 Chinese) as
of 2008 Increase of 42% over 2007 Largest # of users in world as of 2008 400 million users as of 2010 World’s largest internet market
China’s Internet: A Virtual Civil Society?
Internet “God’s present to China” “The internet has made it easier
to obtain information, contact the outside world and submit articles to overseas media. It is like a super-engine that makes my writing spring out of a well. The internet is an information channel that the Chinese dictators cannot fully censor, allowing people to speak and communicate, and it offers a platform for spontaneous organisation.”
Liu XiaoboNobel Peace Prize WinnerCurrently serving prison sentence
China’s Internet: Subject to corporatist controls
Standard controls Registration
Internet Service Providers personally responsible Provide identity papers at registration
Self monitoring Must monitor content, prevent publication of prohibited
material, remove and report any prohibited materials Government sponsor required
Government sponsor—held responsible Party “propaganda circulars”
Specific instructions on how to handle sensitive topics Special Internet Police
More than 60 Chinese serving prison sentences for Internet-based political crimes (HRW ’05)
A public security official examines the identity of a Chinese surfer at an internet café (Lagerkvist 2010)
Bringing Evidence to the Debates
Case: Shanghai Maglev Extension
Shanghai Maglev Extension Case
Citizens protest maglev extension January 6, 2008 Middle class
homeowners Texting: collectively
taking a walk 集体散步 Blogging Video posted on internet
Subsequently banned by Internet police
Southern Metropolis Daily (newspaper) only Chinese media
Shanghai government's evaluation team] mentioned ICNIRP (International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection) and said that this organization has reported that this is harmless and that is harmless. This is really strange. We ordinary citizens can also read English. What we have seen in ICNRP documents details all kinds of harmful effects of electric and magnetic radiation. A lot of research, including biological research and volunteered human subjects research, all showed enormous risks in such an environment.
Shanghai Maglev Extension Case
Southern Metropolis Daily
‘Two days ago, the plan for the western extended line of the Maglev project began to be publicized. In order to peacefully express themselves, residents along the line came to People’s Square and expressed their opinion about Maglev line passing through their own neighborhood using the method of “taking a walk” and “shopping.” Citizens say: this is one way to express opinions.’
Shanghai Maglev Extension Case
Shanghai government’s official media site: EastNet
“There are people who want Shanghai in chaos. Now, some foreigners are playing up the Maglev project, spreading some malicious rumors. Some domestic people also follow them to make a fuss. Goodhearted people must not to fall into their trap.”
