• Government no longer expects people to actively support communism, just don’t oppose.
• Since 1978, leaders have been 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

• 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

• It’s the 2 nd 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 is growing.

• 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

• The explosion of telecommunications around the world have benefited China
• Decreased the reliance on 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

• 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.

• 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

• 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

• 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 onechild policy
– Rules change from province to province
– Rules are less strict in rural areas
– Enforcement is difficult
– Despite objections, the policy has worked

• 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

• 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?