The Communist The Communist StructureStructure

A GlimpseA Glimpse

Basic StructureBasic Structure

Mao and Lenin believed Mao and Lenin believed that citizens did not that citizens did not know enough to move know enough to move from capitalism to from capitalism to communismcommunism

To advance To advance communism, three communism, three main principles are main principles are followed:followed:

1.1. GuardianshipGuardianship

2.2. The Mass LineThe Mass Line

3.3. The United FrontThe United Front

GuardianshipGuardianship

The CCP would The CCP would determine and provide determine and provide what is best for the what is best for the people.people.

Only about 5% of the Only about 5% of the population is in the population is in the communist party.communist party.

The state becomes a The state becomes a democratic dictatorshipdemocratic dictatorship

The Mass LineThe Mass Line

The party may make The party may make decisions on people’s decisions on people’s lives, but they don’t do so lives, but they don’t do so in a vacuum.in a vacuum.

People’s concerns travel People’s concerns travel up the ladder to leaders up the ladder to leaders who then mold them to fit who then mold them to fit party ideologyparty ideology

The ideology is then The ideology is then passed down and passed down and explained to the masses explained to the masses until they “embrace them until they “embrace them as their own.”as their own.”

Therefore, policy flows Therefore, policy flows “from the masses to the “from the masses to the masses.”masses.”

The United FrontThe United Front

CCP promised active CCP promised active involvement of non-CCP involvement of non-CCP elites.elites.

This would create a “new This would create a “new democracy” were the ideas democracy” were the ideas of businesspeople, religious of businesspeople, religious leaders, and scholars shaped leaders, and scholars shaped policy.policy.

However, there’s no However, there’s no accountability. If the accountability. If the government chooses to government chooses to ignore these ideas, they can.ignore these ideas, they can.

China’s Political China’s Political InstitutionsInstitutions

The CCP resembles a military The CCP resembles a military style hierarchy with a specific style hierarchy with a specific chain of command.chain of command.

This leads to the development This leads to the development of of democratic centralismdemocratic centralism

Lower level officials may have Lower level officials may have their opinions heard by upper their opinions heard by upper level officials, even if those level officials, even if those opinions challenge those opinions challenge those officialsofficials

Once a decision has been Once a decision has been made, everyone is expected to made, everyone is expected to fall into line.fall into line.

Any actions to advance Any actions to advance contrary opinion leads to contrary opinion leads to discipline by the party.discipline by the party.

The CCPThe CCP

The most important The most important organization is the Politburo:organization is the Politburo:– Top 24 party leadersTop 24 party leaders– Often hold government and Often hold government and

military postsmilitary posts– Approves all major policies and Approves all major policies and

personnel changes.personnel changes.– Holds veto power over all Holds veto power over all

significant legislationsignificant legislation

The Standing Committee:The Standing Committee:– A subgroup of the PolitburoA subgroup of the Politburo– Typically the top 6 officialsTypically the top 6 officials– The core decision makers in The core decision makers in

Chinese politicsChinese politics

More CCPMore CCP

The General Secretary:The General Secretary:– The top party officialThe top party official

Secretariat:Secretariat:– Led by the General SecretaryLed by the General Secretary– Handles the daily affairs of party leadershipHandles the daily affairs of party leadership

The Central Committee:The Central Committee:– Supposed to elect all key party positionsSupposed to elect all key party positions– formally endorses important policies and formally endorses important policies and

leadership changesleadership changes– Makes sure the “party line” is put into practiceMakes sure the “party line” is put into practice

Even More CCPEven More CCP

The People’s Liberation ArmyThe People’s Liberation Army– Does not dictate policyDoes not dictate policy– The guardian of Chinese The guardian of Chinese

sovereigntysovereignty– The PLA is behind in almost all of The PLA is behind in almost all of

its weapon systemsits weapon systems National Party Congress:National Party Congress:

– Elects the Central CommitteeElects the Central Committee– Outlines main policy goals Outlines main policy goals

through coming yearsthrough coming years– Meets once every five years for a Meets once every five years for a

week or twoweek or two NomenklaturaNomenklatura

– Used to manage all party and Used to manage all party and government officialsgovernment officials

– Party committees oversee Party committees oversee positions in one level downpositions in one level down

– Committees promote those below Committees promote those below themthem

The State - legislatureThe State - legislature StructureStructure

– 31 provinces31 provinces– 333 large cities333 large cities– 2,862 counties2,862 counties– 41,636 townships41,636 townships– 629,000 villages629,000 villages

People elect delegates to township and People elect delegates to township and county legislatures (aka People’s Congresses)county legislatures (aka People’s Congresses) County congresses elect municipal congresses, which County congresses elect municipal congresses, which

elect provincial congresses, which elect the national elect provincial congresses, which elect the national congresscongress

Standing Committee of NPCStanding Committee of NPC– 150 members150 members– serves as the working legislative assemblyserves as the working legislative assembly

National People’s Congress (NPC)National People’s Congress (NPC)– Elected to 5-year termsElected to 5-year terms– 1995 law set ratio of representation at 4:1 rural to urban1995 law set ratio of representation at 4:1 rural to urban– Weakest of the three branches (others are party and Weakest of the three branches (others are party and

executive)executive)– Drafts legislation, approves budgets, amends constitution, Drafts legislation, approves budgets, amends constitution,

monitors reforms, and appoints top state and government monitors reforms, and appoints top state and government leadersleaders

The State - ExecutiveThe State - Executive

The State CouncilThe State Council– headed by the premierheaded by the premier– other top officials (currently 36)other top officials (currently 36)– has its own Standing Committee which has its own Standing Committee which

serves a similar function as the serves a similar function as the executive (complete with cabinet) in a executive (complete with cabinet) in a parliamentary systemparliamentary system

– they can issue directives, orders, and they can issue directives, orders, and instructions, that have the authority of instructions, that have the authority of law without needing NPC approvallaw without needing NPC approval

– while CCP approves policy, government while CCP approves policy, government implements and monitors resultsimplements and monitors results

The PresidentThe President– China’s formal head of stateChina’s formal head of state– elected by NPCelected by NPC– largely a ceremonial postlargely a ceremonial post

The State - JudicialThe State - Judicial

The Supreme People’s Court The Supreme People’s Court is responsible to the NPCis responsible to the NPC

Lower courts are responsible Lower courts are responsible to lower congressesto lower congresses

The Supreme People’s The Supreme People’s ProcuratorateProcuratorate– responsible to the NPCresponsible to the NPC– sits atop a hierarchy of other sits atop a hierarchy of other

procuratoratesprocuratorates– supervises criminal supervises criminal

investigationsinvestigations– approves arrestsapproves arrests– prosecutes casesprosecutes cases– investigates and pursues investigates and pursues

corruptioncorruption

The bottom lineThe bottom line

The party, the executive, and the legislature are The party, the executive, and the legislature are present at each level of government (local present at each level of government (local national) national)

At each level, the party is the most important bodyAt each level, the party is the most important body At each level, the party secretary is the most important At each level, the party secretary is the most important

figurefigure Making sure the local governments carry out directives Making sure the local governments carry out directives

from above is the challenge - information is frequently from above is the challenge - information is frequently distorted to make local officials appear compliantdistorted to make local officials appear compliant

There are over 40 million officials in the party and There are over 40 million officials in the party and governmentgovernment