Political Culture – China. Dedication to Communism Government no longer expects people to actively...
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![Page 1: Political Culture – China. Dedication to Communism Government no longer expects people to actively support communism, so long as the don’t actively oppose.](https://reader030.fdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022032705/56649d9c5503460f94a84bee/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Political Culture – China
![Page 2: Political Culture – China. Dedication to Communism Government no longer expects people to actively support communism, so long as the don’t actively oppose.](https://reader030.fdocuments.net/reader030/viewer/2022032705/56649d9c5503460f94a84bee/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Dedication to Communism• Government no longer expects
people to actively support communism, so long as the don’t actively oppose it.
• Since 1978, leaders have chosen to be judged by their ability to generate economic growth and increased standards of living for the people.
• In modern China, legitimacy is directly tied to economic performance
• In 2006, in colleges all over the country, the state reduced the number of required political ideology courses from 7 to 4
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Economic Development
• The government has supported and advanced a policy of “some get rich first.”
• This, of course, has led to tremendous income inequality.
• Rural income is 30% lower than urban.
• Government also supports a policy of “first development, then environment.”
• Economic development has become the key in promotion through the system
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Geography
• It’s the 2nd largest country in area
• It’s the largest country by population
• But, only about 25% of the land is arable
• Farmland is shrinking as industry and private property grows
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The “Rule of Law”• There are laws and all are
equally governed by them• Historically, the “rule of law”
has no place in communism as “law is a weapon of the state”
• While Chinese government often violates the latter part, reform began in 1978
• First, there was a need to undo the wrongs of the Cultural Revolution and restore stability and order
• Second, Deng Xiaoping wanted to show a commitment to “system building vs. arbitrary rule”
• Finally, hoped to encourage economic growth and investment
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Legal Reform• 1982 constitution subjects
the party to authority of law• 1996 reform gives the right to
counsel at early stages of criminal investigation
• 1997 reform created laws dealing with economic crime
• It also eliminated the crime of “counterrevolution”
• Instituted property rights and contract law
• Done to encourage foreign investment, to provide codes for growing capitalism, and to appease outside pressure (particularly surrounding the Olympics)
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Problems with law• Capital punishment used
in “lesser crimes” (e.g., rape, theft, smuggling, and child trafficking).
• Trials are inquisitorial in nature – by the time you get there, you’re already guilty
• There are several thousand political prisoners despite the removal of the counterrevolutionary law
• No judicial review• The party controls the
legal system
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Mass Media• The explosion of
telecommunications around the world have benefited China
• Decreased the importance of state-controlled media
• There are 10x as many periodicals (9,500) and newspapers (2,000) today as there were in 1978
• Censorship is still alive– the government can shut
down papers that “go too far”– regular monitoring of the
Internet– objection to foreign
publication
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Political Participation
• Mao expected people to participate in political activity. Lack of participation was opposition to the regime.
• Today, apathy is accepted.
• The government has also moved away from mass mobilization campaigns.
• Finally, mass demonstrations are discouraged over private complaints through local channels.
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Parties and Mass Organizations
• There are 8 “satellite” parties under communist control– They participate in the NPC,
but have no real policymaking power
• Mass organizations– headed by party officials– they don’t represent groups
which are looking to have interests advanced in politics
– rather, they meet with those groups and explain relevant party decisions
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Corruption• Chinese people
consistently view corruption as a serious problem with the government
• In fact, the Tiananmen protests were as much about corruption as democracy
• Procuratorates are supposed to prosecute corruption as criminal offenses, but party discipline precedes criminal investigations
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Other Issues – Part 1• Environmentalism
– 8-12% of GDP lost annually to pollution
– When village committees created in 1987, environmental protection became very difficult
– State EPA is horribly under funded
• Population Control– Officially, China has a one-
child policy– Rules change from province
to province– Rules are less strict in rural
areas– Enforcement is difficult– Despite objections, the policy
has worked
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Other Issues – Part 2• Hong Kong– In 1984, China established
“one country, two systems,” to support capitalism in Hong Kong
– In 1996, after taking over, China replaced elected officials with its own
– Greater freedom there than elsewhere
• Taiwan– Nationalists fled there after
losing the civil war– In 1971, it lost its official
standing as the government of China
– Tension remains high with the mainland
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Final Thoughts• Can economic growth
continue without breaking the communist party and establishing democracy?
• Can China continue to survive as a communist regime when most of the others collapsed years ago?
• Will nationalism help continue to protect communism in China?