China's Political System: CCP, PRC, and Economic Strategy

CCP vs. PRC: The Party-State Relationship

The state (PRC) functions primarily as the administrative agency of the party (CCP).

1. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP)

   • Based on principles of democratic centralism.
   • China’s current governing system is fundamentally controlled by the CCP.
   • The system allows some minor parties and independents to run, provided they do not contradict the CCP's goals, essentially preventing opposition parties from running.
   • The Chairman of the CCP is the General Secretary and de facto Head of State.

   • Power is concentrated in the Politburo.

     • The Secretariat (the executive branch) carries out the Politburo’s orders.

2. The People's Republic of China (PRC)

   The formal state apparatus that executes the policies and directives set forth by the CCP.

Maintaining Communism Amidst Economic Reform

China has successfully maintained Communist Party control while implementing significant economic reforms through several key strategies:

• A strong sense of collective national identity ensures support from the masses.
• The CCP prioritizes economic reform before political liberalization.
• The success of China’s recent leaders in governing the economy has sustained the authority of the CCP.
• Implementation of the Socialist Market Economy: market reforms are allowed, but the CCP still ultimately dictates the direction of China’s economy.

Local Authority and Autonomy in China

The degree of local authority and autonomy is highly constrained by the central government.

• China operates as a unitary state, resulting in little policy-making autonomy at the local level.
• Transparency at lower levels of government is often limited.
• Village elections are somewhat legitimate, although they have no real impact on the central government.
• There are instances of high transparency in specific, limited areas.
• Each level of subnational government has a People’s Congress that plays a limited (but increasingly active) role in supervising affairs.
• Subnational government executives are primarily accountable to the CCP.
• The central government can intervene however it deems necessary, maintaining overarching control.

Technocrats Versus Revolutionary Leaders

1. Technocrats

   Technocrats are politicians who were not raised solely in political circles but typically hold advanced university degrees (often in engineering or economics) before entering politics.

   • Examples include Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao.

2. Revolutionary Leaders

   A Revolutionary Leader is someone who lived through the rise of Communism and served as a life-long politician.

   • An example is Mao Zedong.

Xi Jinping's Consolidation of Power (Shift to the Right)

• Focus on domestic policy consolidation.
• The Anti-Corruption Campaign (used extensively to remove political rivals and consolidate power).

• The One China Policy:

  • It is the diplomatic acknowledgment of China's position that there is only one Chinese government. Under the policy, the US recognizes and has formal ties with the PRC rather than the island of Taiwan, which China sees as a breakaway province to be reunified with the mainland one day.