Dr. Afxendiou

I. System of Government: Authoritarian Single Party Rule II. Relationship with the Communist Party  Mass Line  Guardianship (the CP is the guardian of China and rules considering the demands and needs of the people – mass line)  Democratic Centralism - "freedom of discussion, unity of action." III. Constitution  1982  The country is ruled by authoritarian elite that are not bound by rule of law.  As long as the rulers are above the law, the constitution will not be a major source of legitimacy for the state.

 the political, organizational and leadership method developed by Mao Zedong and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) during the Chinese revolution. “…from the masses, to the masses”.

IV. Legitimacy:  Maoism  Since Mao’s death Politburo legitimate source of power  the military V. Political Culture  multi-dimensional and deep, shaped by geographical features and by the many eras of its history: dynastic rule, by imperialist nations and its aftermath, and communist rule.

I. Institutions of Government/ Government structures National People’s Congress (NPC) State Council Judiciary However, the Communist Party exercises direct leadership over government and legislative functions.

 National People’s Congress: The NCP and its standing committee are the highest organization of state authority, and they exercise legislative functions. Powers include amending the constitution, passage/amendment of legislation, appointment of leaders, approving economic plans, etc.

 State council: It is the center of law- making activity. It is composed of a premier ( the HoG) and his cabinet of vice-premiers, state councilors, ministers, auditor general, and secretary general.) The State Council has its own Standing Committee.

 Judiciary: Judicial authority rests with the Supreme People’s Court at the center and with local people’s courts below. (This court is responsible for the NPC, and lower levels are responsible to lower congresses.) The Supreme People’s Procuratorate is the central prosecutorial agency. Procuratorates supervise criminal investigations, approve arrests, and prosecute cases.

II. Party Structures National Party Congress Central Committee Politburo

 National Party Congress: delegates, meets infrequently (1-2 weeks every 5 years.) Functions: a) ratifies important changes in policy already decided by more important, smaller party structures, b) elects the Central Committee, which acts between sessions.

 Central Committee: “collection of the most powerful political leaders in the country.” It doesn’t initiate policy but it does approve policy or leaders. It elects the Politburo, Polit. Standing Committee, and the party general secretary (all of whom are also Central Committee members).

 Politburo: The top political elite, with no more than two dozen leaders generally. Its inner circle (about 6 members) is the Polit. Standing Committee and it meets weekly, chaired by the general secretary of the party. They are core political decision-makers in China.

III. Elite Recruitment: Membership in the Communist Party is a pre- requisite for political elite status. Another important powerful organizational mechanism to recruit and promote elites: the nomenklatura system. It refers to the management of all party/government officials by party committees.

IV. Interest Groups Organizations under party leadership NGO’s and GONGO’s

 Organizations under party leadership: Under the leadership of the Communist party are eight “satellite parties,” which have no real role in policy making but are consulted regularly on major policies. These are the eight officially tolerated parties. In addition are the “mass organizations,” extensions of the Communist party into society. Ex: All- China Federation of Trade Unions, Women’s Organization.

 NGO’s and GONGO’s: Some associations are genuine non-governmental organizations, while others are government-organized nongovernmental organizations (GONGOs), some of which are organizations for gov. agencies, and others have relationships with NGO’s.

 Electoral System: Party control Source of legitimacy

 Electoral System: Elections are held by the PRC in order to legitimize the government of the Communist Party, but the party controls the commissions that run elections, and reviews draft lists of candidates to ensure that it weeds out politically objectionable candidates. The only direct elections are held at the local levels, but the people’s congresses at higher levels are selected from and by the lower levels, not directly by the people.

I. Civil Society Under Maoism Transition to market economy II. Cleavages Ethnic:  primarily Han Chinese  Groups with long history of struggle for separation/independence: Urban/Rural - “Two Chinas”  Social divisions