UNIT 12 ROLE OF COMMUNIST PARTY IN

CHINA
Structure
12.0 Objectives
12.1 Introduction
12.2 Understanding China‟s Political System
12.3 Historical Background: The Birth of the Communist Party of China
12.4 Nature and Characteristics of the Communist Party of China
12.5 Guiding Ideologies and Principles of the CPC
12.6 Organisational Structure of the Communist Party of China
12.6.1 The Party Congress
12.6.2 Central Committee of the CPC
12.6.3 The Political Bureau
12.6.4 Standing Committee of the Political Bureau
12.6.5 General Secretary
12.6.6 Secretariat
12.6.7 The Central Military Commission
12.6.8 Central Commission for Discipline Inspection
12.6.9 Local Level Party Organisations
12.6.10 Primary Organisations of the Party
12.7 The Chinese Communist Party: Some Issues and Challenges
12.8 Summary
12.9 References
12.10 Answers to Check Your Progress Exercises

12.0 OBJECTIVES

The main objective of this unit is to introduce you the basic characteristics of the
Chinese political system by focusing on the role of the Communist Party of
China (CPC). After reading this unit, you should be able to:
 Explain the nature and characteristics of the Chinese political system
 Describe the factors for the emergence of the communist party in China


Dr. Kishorchand Nongmithen, Consultant, Faculty of Political Science, School of Social
Sciences, IGNOU, New Delhi
Themes for  Explain the power, function, and role of the CPC in China‟s political
Comparative
Analysis system
 Describe the structure of the CPC
 Identify the major issues and challenges related to the CPC

12.1 INTRODUCTION
Political parties are an important component of modern-day politics. The
existence of political party or parties is common to all forms of modern states—
democratic, socialist, totalitarian etc. The nature of political parties and party
system in a given country is determined by the historical, political, economic,
social, and cultural conditions or experience of that country. In democratic states,
we generally find two-party system (as in the USA or Britain) or multiparty party
systems (as in India, Switzerland etc.), whereas, in socialist or totalitarian states
(like the former Soviet Union, Nazi Germany, Cuba etc.), the one-party system
operates in which a single ruling party dominates the whole political spectrum.
In this context, China, officially the People‟s Republic of China (PRC) is a
socialist state ruled by the Communist Party of China (CPC), also calledthe
Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Founded in 1921 with just fifty-nine members,
the CPC today has nearly ninety million members and governs the most populous
country in the world. Ever since the party seized power and established the PRC
in 1949, it remains the sole ruling party that controls the country‟s government.
The party is the ultimate source of political power in China which commands and
controls the entire apparatus of the state, which includes the government, the
media, the army and other leading political institutions in the country. In other
words, the CPC has been the most influential political force leading the Chinese
people and shaping its politics, economy and society. Therefore, to understand
politics in China, we must first understand the CPC. This unit is designed to
provide you with an overview of the communist party‟s role in the Chinese
political system. The unit will explore the organizational structure, power,
functions, and activities of the CPC in China‟s political system.

12.2 UNDERSTANDING THE CHINESE POLITICAL

SYSTEM
China's political system has several distinctive features which are rarely known
and often puzzled many outsiders. While dealing China there has often been a
gap between rhetoric and reality—between what we know or perceived and what
is real; between what is officially claimed and what is actual; between how the
story is told and things that occurred. Therefore, we should not merely look into
what is perceived or appears to be, but carefully observe the actual structures,
functions, processes and institutional mechanisms of the Chinese political
system.

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Article 1 of the Constitution of the PRC defines the country as a “socialist state Role of Communist
Party in China
under the people‟s democratic dictatorship led by the working class and based on
the alliance of workers and peasants”.This Article also stipulates that the socialist
system is “the basic system of China and any disruption to the system by any
group or individual is prohibited. Such provisions can be traced to the Leninist
principle of the state which proclaims „the dictatorship of the proletariat‟ as the
most appropriate form of state power in which people are the masters of the state
and the society. In this regard, CPC claims that it alone can represent the best
interest of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation as a whole. The party is
endorsed by the country‟s constitution itself. The preamble of the PRC
constitution states that the country is under the “leadership of the Communist
Party of China”
While China shares several features in common with other socialist states, it is
distinct from traditional socialist states like the USSR. Unlike the established
Soviet model of the single-party system, China adopted a unique party system
permitting eight „minor‟ parties, sometimes referred to as „democratic parties‟, to
operate in the system along with the CPC. These minor parties came into being
and had existed before the formation of the PRC in 1949, and each of these
represents a particular section of the Chinese society, such as academics,
scientists, artists, writers, professionals, minority groups etc. They are permitted
to exist on the condition that they swear their allegiance to the „leadership role‟
of the CPC. The constitution of the PRC described this arrangement as „multi-
party cooperation and political consultation‟ led by the CPC. However, China‟s
party system cannot be called as a multiparty system because the CPC has an
absolute monopoly of power over the system. The eight minor parties can neither
question nor challenge the leadership of the CPC through election or any other
means. Their role is practically meaningless, restricted to submitting motions,
queries, proffering ideas or giving suggestions to the CPC mostly on non-
political matters through a consultative institution called Chinese People‟s
Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). But it does not oblige the CPC to act
upon it. Moreover, the CPC neither allows the formation of new parties nor is
willing to broaden the power and functions of the existing eight democratic
parties. When a political party called the Democracy Party of China (DPC) was
formed by former activists of the Tiananmen movement in 1998, the CPC
quickly suppressed it and arrested or exiled most of its leaders. The CPC is also
very cautious in preventing the CPPCC from becoming a forum for dissent or a
platform for political mobilization against the CPC. Thus, if we compare China's
political system with other political systems it is a fairly centralized system
dominated by the CPC.
In China‟s politics, although the party (CPC) and the state (PRC) are
organizationally and functionally separate entities, the two are intertwined under
the communist system of „party-state‟ in which party always exercises its
monopoly of political power and control over the government (the state). To
maintain the party‟s supremacy, its top-ranking leaderships simultaneously hold
executive and decision-making positions of the state (government) machinery 175
Themes for and institutions. For instance, though, the president of the PRC (who is the head
Comparative
Analysis of the state) is formally elected by the National People‟s Congress (NPC), in
reality, its choice is limited to only one candidate who is usually the head of the
party, i.e., the General Secretary of the CPC. Similarly, the Premier (informally
referred to as Prime Minister), his vice-premiers and other members of the State
Council are formally approved by the NPC (See box item), in practice, their
candidacy is chosen and approved within the communist party and most of them
have always been members of the Party's powerful Politburo Standing
Committee (PBSC). Therefore, since the key officials of the government are
chosen by the CPC, it is the CPC that decides policies while the government acts
as an administrative agency, which executes and implements those policies.
As a party which holds the leading position, CPC seeks to establish „socialist
democracy‟ or „consultative democracy‟ in China. It should however be noted
that 'the CPC's understanding of the term 'democracy' is quite different from its
widely accepted definition. The CPC claims that China's socialist democracy is
the superior form democracy as it is based on the unchallengeable role of the
CPC, chosen by the Chinese people and born out of China's culture and tradition.
Moreover, it proclaims that the socialist system is the system which suits China's
reality and effective in guiding the country in building China into a strong and
modern society.

National People’s Congress (NPC) is the national legislative body of

the PRC. It is composed of deputies (approximately 3000) who are
elected for five years from various electoral units; provinces,
municipalities, autonomous regions, special administrative regions,
PLA units, ethnic minority groups etc. The NPC meets once a year for
about two weeks. It wields legislative powers, the power to elect major
officers of the government.
State Council is the principal administrative body of the government
which functions as the cabinet in the parliamentary system. It is headed
by the Premier (prime minister) and includes few vice-premiers
(currently has four vice-premiers), ministers, heads of the ministries
and several senior officials of the state.

Check Your Progress 1

Note: i) Use the space given below for your answer.
ii) Check your answer with the answer given at the end of the unit.
1) China can be best described as a one-party system. Why?
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 Role of Communist
12.3 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND: THE BIRTH OF Party in China
THE CPC
The emergence of the communist party has had a profound impact on the
development of modern Chinese society. In the early 19th century, the last
imperial dynasty of China, the Qing dynasty (also known as Manchu dynasty)
faced several challenges to its rule, including foreign incursions in its territories.
After the Opium War of 1840, China was compelled to open its ports to foreign
powers for trade. It had to sign a series of 'unequal treaties' with almost all
western imperial powers. Britain, U.S., France, Russia, Japan, etc. secured
economic and territorial privileges and establish their spheres of influence in
different parts of China. Economically, China was plundered by foreign powers
and reduced into a 'semi-colonial' and 'semi-feudal' society.
The failure of the Qing dynasty to protect China from foreign incursions and the
national humiliation meted out of it persuaded a group of revolutionary
intellectuals to unite a political force against the monarch (Qing) and external
enemies. In 1905, the intellectual movement brought into existence the „Chinese
Revolutionary Alliance‟ (Tongmenghui), a revolutionary group led by Sun Yat-
Sen. This group led several uprisings against the autocratic Qing rule and finally
in 1911, it succeeded in overthrowing the two-thousand years old dynasty and
established the Republic of China (ROC). The Revolutionary Alliance was
transformed into a political party called the Kuomintang (KMT, sometimes spelt
as Guomindang) often translated as the Nationalist Party of China. China was set
to evolve into a liberal democracy on the pattern of western democracies.
However, the new republican government was unable to consolidate its power,
resulting in the rise of feudal warlords of various kinds.
In these circumstances, in May 1919 a mass uprising known as May Fourth
Movement broke out in Beijing against the republican government‟s weak
response to foreign interventions. It was an unprecedented movement in which
people from all walks of life took part. Around that time, a small group of
intellectuals, inspired by the success of the Bolshevik revolution in Russia, set up
communist groups across the country to propagate revolutionary ideas and
organize worker‟s movement among the masses. In July 1921, these communist
groups came together at the First National Congress held in Shanghai and
announced the formation of the Communist Party of China (CPC). The
Communist Party of China, as we shall see, soon emerged as a significant
political force.
In 1923, under the instruction of the Communist International (Comintern), CPC
allied with the KMT and formed the „United Front‟ in which CPC members
joined the KMT as individuals while retaining their CPC membership. The
alliance was held together by their common enemy: imperialism and feudal
warlordism. The United Front, however, did not last long. Following the death of
Sun Yat-Sen in 1925, Chiang Kai-shek, a staunch anti-communist, assumed the
leadership of KMT. Soon after, KMT turned hostile towards communism. In
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Themes for 1927,Chiang launched large-scale military campaigns to expand KMT‟s
Comparative
Analysis influence and suppress communist strongholds. During this civil war between
KMT and the communists, the latter were forced to abandon their revolutionary
activities among China‟s urban proletariat and relocate their bases in the
countryside. Here the communists established close links with the peasants. It
was during this time that Mao Zedong propounded the idea of the peasantry as
the leading social force for revolution in China. By recruiting peasants in the
party, Mao soon emerged as the leading political figure among the communists.
In May 1928, the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, better known as the
„Red Army‟ was formed to combat the advancing KMT forces. But in October
1934, KMT's „extermination‟ offensive against the Red Army's main base in
Jiangxi, forced some ninety thousand soldiers of the Red Army to retreat towards
the north. After marching a little over a year, covering nearly ten-thousand
kilometres across some of the most remote parts of China, the Red Army founded
a new base at Yan‟an in Shaanxi province in Northern China. This escape from
Jiangxi and founding of a new base in Yan‟an is one of the most significant
episodes in the history of the CPC and is celebrated as the „Long March‟.
In 1937, to resist the territorial expansion of the Japanese (that had begun with
the capture of Manchuria in 1931) CPC made an uneasy alliance with the
nationalist KMT. This resistance to Japanese expansion extended into World War
II. During the war-time period, the communists led by Mao regained their
strength by successfully mobilizing the peasants, whereas, the Nationalist became
unpopular and isolated because of widespread corruption and mismanagement in
KMT. After the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II in 1945, a full-
scale civil war ensured between the two hostile forces—CPC and the KMT. The
communists led by Mao Zedong defeated the nationalist KMT and established
the People's Republic of China (PRC) on October 1, 1949. Since then, the CPC
has remained the sole party ruling the PRC.

12.4 NATURE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE

CPC
The fundamental task of every communist party in the world is to make sure that
the party retains its firm hold on power because they believe that political
monopoly is the essence of the socialist system. As the sole governing party in
China, CPC exercises its power by consolidating its control through a variety of
coercive means such as censoring the press, jailing dissidents, suppressing the
civil societies, imposing regressive laws, and at times, using brute force to silence
the opponents. As a party formed on the basis of Leninist principle of „vanguard‟
party, CPC also controls the military, the judiciary and other administrative
apparatus of the state by appointing party leaders in key positions of governance.
For example, Party leaders also simultaneously hold leading positions as premier,
ministers, state presidents, generals and officers in the military, police, etc. The
CPC believes that it alone can „represent‟ and „lead‟ the interest of the Chinese
people and the nation as a whole.
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The Communist Party of China‟s basic organizational principle is also based on Role of Communist
Party in China
the Leninist principle of „democratic centralism‟. Democratic centralism as
defined in the Party constitution is a „combination of centralism built on the basis
of democracy and democracy under centralized guidance‟. The core idea of
democratic centralism is that the Party should encourage „open‟ and „democratic‟
debate and discussion among its members and party organs while taking a
decision; but once a decision is taken by the party leadership, all members of the
Party and party organisations have to abide by the decision. Under this principle,
individual members are subordinate to the organisations, the lower organisations
are subordinate to the higher organisations and all the constituent organisations
and members of the party must follow the command and leadership of the party
authority. The interests of the Party stand above the interests of the individuals or
citizens. The people are often told that obedience to the authority is a moral,
sacred, or patriotic duty of the citizens, whereas, repression is justified in the
name of the system‟s stability.

12.5 GUIDING IDEOLOGIES AND PRINCIPLES OF

THE CPC
One of the defining characteristics of communist parties around the world is their
allegiance to Marxism-Leninism as the guiding ideology. The CPC is no
exception; the party officially proclaims Marxism-Leninism as its guiding
ideology and also affirms its commitment towards establishing a society based on
socialism. Since the formation of the party in 1921, Marxism-Leninism has been
the primary inspiration and guiding force. While Marxism provided the broad
theoretical framework of the 1949 revolution, Leninism offered the practical
techniques of revolution to seize state power.However, there have been
remarkable changes in Chinese thinking and approach towards Marxism-
Leninism. Over time, many significant ideas and thoughts have been
incorporated to the Party's guiding ideology, to adapt to the changing situation
and also help in retaining its rule in China. This ideological adaptation produced
a unique variant of socialism, known as „socialism with Chinese characteristics‟.
Another significant ideological foundation of CPC is the 'Mao Zedong Thought'.
Mao's thought was described by the CPC as a „doctrine created by the integration
of Marxism-Leninism with the concrete practice of the Chinese revolution‟. It is
essentially the 'sinification' or adaptation of Marxism-Leninism to the prevailing
agrarian conditions of Chinese society. Besides, during the revolutionary
movement, Mao adapted party-building concepts developed by Lenin. These
include concepts like „vanguard party of the working class‟, „democratic
centralism‟ or the „party-state‟. Acknowledging Mao‟s contributions, his ideas
known as „Mao Zedong Thought‟ along with Marxism-Leninism were formally
proclaimed as CPC‟s guiding ideology when the party adopted its first
constitution at the 7th Party Congress in 1945. Although Mao made significant
contributions to the party, two of his utopian initiatives, namely the Great Leap
Forward (1958-1960) and the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) ended in terrible
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Themes for catastrophes. Although these developments have sharply reduced Mao's stature
Comparative
Analysis as a national leader, his ideas continue to guide the party and the nation. The CPC
has recently described 'Mao Zedong Thought' as the 'spiritual assets of the party'.

Great Leap Forward (1958-1960) was an economic and social campaign

put forward by Mao Zedong to accelerate China‟s economic
transformation from a predominantly agrarian economy into an industrial
society. It aimed to lead China into an era of „true communism‟ where
there would be complete social and economic equality.
Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) was a socio-political „purification‟
campaign launched by Mao Zedong to preserve communist ideology and
revive its revolutionary spirit by purging the „impure‟ bureaucratic
Soviet-model of development and also eliminating the western capitalist
elements from the Chinese society.

Following the death of Mao Zedong in 1976, Deng Xiaoping (1904-1997) rose to
power and became the de facto leader of China. Although Deng never held a
position as head of the state/government or the CPC, he exercised supreme
authority in China in the post-Mao era. In 1978, he initiated the historic „Reform
and Opening-up‟ policy which brought a far-reaching transformation in China.
Deng started the „Four Modernization‟ programme in areas of agriculture,
industry, defence, and science and technology with the goal of „rejuvenating‟ the
Chinese economy. He also initiated a parallel set of principles for political reform
called the „Four Cardinal Principles‟ that became the ideological and political
guide for both the party and the state. The four principles called for upholding (i)
the road to socialism (ii) the people‟s democratic dictatorship (iii) the leadership
of the CPC (iv) Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought. Deng‟s initiatives
and programmes became a turning point resulting in a far-reaching
transformation in China's political, economic and social development which
earned him the reputation as the „Architect of Modern China‟. Under him, often
called the era of „reform and opening-up‟, China‟s centrally planned economy
was shifted to socialist market economy, resulting in unprecedented economic
growth. His policies also brought greater integration of the Chinese economy
with the global economy. Thus, Deng Xiaoping‟s era brought a new brand of
socialist thinking formed by forging the orthodox Marxism-Leninism doctrine
with China‟s pragmatic condition, which is known as „socialism with Chinese
characteristics‟. After he died in 1997, his ideas collectively known as 'Deng
Xiaoping Theory' were added into the CPC's Constitution, along with Marxism-
Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought, as the Party's guiding ideology.
In February 2000, the Chinese President, Jiang Zemin (1993-2003), introduced
another ideological innovation called „Three Represents‟. It stipulates that CPC
must always represent; (i) China‟s advanced productive forces, (ii)China‟s
advanced culture,and (iii) interests of the overwhelming majority of the Chinese
people. Jiang's ideological contribution of the 'Three Represents' was enshrined
180 in the PRC's constitution in 2003. In 2012, the Eighteenth CPC Congress
incorporated yet another guiding ideology called the 'Scientific Outlook on Role of Communist
Party in China
Development' (also known as Scientific Development Concept) conceived by Hu
Jintao. Hu Jintao advocated that the CPC's role as the core leadership is critical
for building a 'harmonious socialist society', a society free from social and
economic inequality.
In its latest adaption of Marxism-Leninism to the Chinese context, CPC at the
19th Party Congress in 2017 adopted President Xi Jinping‟s thought on
„Socialism with Chinese Characteristic for a New Era‟ as the Party‟s guide to its
action. Xi also conceived another vision called the „China Dream‟ to „rejuvenate
the Chinese nation‟ and make China a great power. To realize the Chinese dream,
Xi Jinping called the Party as well as the Chinese people of all ethnic groups to
uphold the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, have a firm
conviction in its path, theory, system, and culture, and implement the Party's
basic line, basic theory and basic policy. Thus, a strong element of nationalism
was injected into the ideology of China's party-state.
Though communist ideology is much less significant in China today than it was
earlier, it continues to provide the basic framework for the party. The party
constitution proclaims that the „highest ideal and ultimate goal‟ of the party is the
„realization of communism‟. However, it should be noted that to maintain its
relevance and legitimacy, CPC not only restructured the orthodox Marxism-
Leninism but also developed new doctrines. CPC shows no signs of abandoning
Marxism-Leninism but rather committed to using it more pragmatically.

Check Your Progress 2

Note: i) Use the space given below for your answers.
ii) Check your answer with the answer given at the end of the unit.
1) What is the principle of „democratic centralism‟?
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2) Is CPC guided by Marxism-Leninism?
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Themes for
Comparative 12.6 ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE
Analysis
COMMUNIST PARTY OF CHINA
The CPC is a highly integrated party characterised by centralized power,
hierarchy and subordination. In line with this, CPC has several organs spread
across three broad levels—central, local, and primary organisations. The role and
functions of these organs are all distinct yet mutually interconnected following
the principle of „collective leadership‟ and „individual responsibility‟.
12.6.1 The Party Congress
According to the CPC Constitution, the "highest leading bodies" of the party are
the National Party Congress and the Central Committee. The National Party
Congress, also called the National Congress of the Communist Party of China
(NCCPC) is the most important political convention in the Chinese political
calendar, held once-every-five-years (It is not to be confused with the National
People‟s Congress (NPC) which is an annual legislative congress of the PRC).
During this gathering, approximately 2300 delegates representing all levels of
Party hierarchy across China review the activities of the Party since the previous
Congress and also lay down guidelines and policies for the coming five years.
The first session of the Party Congresselects a new Central Committee which
then elects members of other Party organs.
12.6.2 Central Committee
The Central Committee of the CPC primarily consists of 370 members who are
elected for a five-year term by the NCCPC from across the country. It meets
annually for about two weeks and is charged with carrying out the business of the
NCCPC when it is not in session. The Central Committee conducts its sessions,
usually known as „plenums‟ or „plenary sessions‟ which acts as a forum for
discussion and ratification of major policies of the party. It is vested with the
power to elect the members of the Politburo and its Standing Committee, the
Central Military Commission, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection
as well as endorses the composition of the Secretariat.
12.6.3 The Political Bureau
The Political Bureau of the CPC, in short, the Politburo, is a group of 25 senior-
most leaders of the Party. It exercises the powers and functions of the Central
Committee when a plenum is not in session. Though nominally elected by
members of the Central Committee, in practice, Politburo members are selected
through backroom negotiations by its seven-member Standing Committee. Most
Politburo members occupy leadership positions in the government and other state
machineries in various levels.
12.6.4 The Politburo Standing Committee
In the Politburo, power is centralized in a sub-group called 'the Politburo
Standing Committee' (PSC), currently comprised of seven members who are the
most powerful personalities in the echelon of leadership in the CPC. The seven
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PSC members are elected by the plenary session of the Central Committee and Role of Communist
Party in China
each member of the PSC has a rank, responsible for a specific portfolio. Hence,
PSC is the most authoritative policy and decision-making body in the CPC and in
the country as a whole.
12.6.5 General Secretary
The General Secretary is the formal title of the head of the CPC. Since the
abolition of the post of Chairman of CPC in 1982, the General Secretary is the
highest-ranking official of both the party and the state. According to the party
constitution, the General Secretary is elected from members of the Politburo
Standing Committee (PSC) by the Plenary Session of the CPC Central
Committee. Besides presiding over the functioning of the Secretariat, the General
Secretary also heads other party organs such as the Central Committee, Political
Bureau and its Standing Committee. Therefore, the General Secretary of the CPC
is the paramount leader in the Chinese political hierarchy.
12.6.6 Secretariat
The Secretariat which consists of seven members is an important organ of the
Party which is responsible for coordinating the routine business and
administrative affairs of the Party. Secretariat members meet daily and supervise
the functioning of other organs of the Party. Members of the Secretariat are
nominated by the PBSC and are subject to approval by the Central Committee in
the plenary session. The Secretariat is also responsible for executing the
decisions made by the Politburo and its Standing Committee.
12.6.7 The Central Military Commission
The Central Military Commission (CMC) is the key organisation in charge of the
armed forces of the PRC. Technically, there are two parallel military
commissions, one within the Party apparatus (CMC of the CPC), and another
controlled by the state (CMC of the PPC). The Party CMC is supervised by the
Central Committee of the CPC, whereas, the State CMC is directed by the
National People's Congress (NPC). These two commissions exercise the
command and control of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) which is the
combined armed forces of both the Party and the state. Although, the State CMC
is nominally considered the supreme military decision-making body, the actual
command and control resides with the Party CMC. Currently, it consists of
twelve members, headed by the party General Secretary, who acts as the
commander-in-chief of the PLA.
12.6.8 Central Commission for Discipline Inspection
The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), comprises of 130
members is an internal control body of the CPC, originally designed to enforce
rules and regulations and safeguard morale and discipline of the Party. It also acts
an anti-corruption watchdog of the party responsible for monitoring and
punishing party cadres who committed abuses of power, corruption and other
wrongdoings. At the lower-level party organs in the hierarchy, including
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Themes for provincial, municipal, county levels, there are identical discipline inspection
Comparative
Analysis commissions that report directly to the commission one level above them.
12.6.9 Local Level Party Organisations
Apart from the central organs mentioned above, CPC also has several local
organisations comprising local Party congresses and local Party committees at
the level of provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the
control of the central government; cities divided into districts, autonomous
prefectures, counties, autonomous county; and cities not divided into districts and
municipal districts. The local committees also conduct local party congresses at
their level once every five years or earlier. They are convened by their
corresponding level committee. The functions and power of local party
congresses are in many ways similar to the National Congress at the central level.
They examine the reports of the local Party committee at the corresponding level;
examine the reports of the local CCDI; discuss and adopt resolutions on major
local issues; and elect the members of the local party committees and local
CCDI. The local Party committees conduct at least two plenary sessions a year
and carry out the directives of the higher-level Party organisations and the
resolutions of their Party congresses at the corresponding levels.
12.6.10 Primary Organisations of the Party
At the base of the Party structure are the primary party organisations which are
formed in villages, factories, enterprises, schools, colleges, research institutes,
communities, social organisations, military units, or any other basic units where
there are at least three full Party members. These primary organisations are
essential components of CPC's party building, the foundation of all its work,
activities and exercise of power at the grass-root level. Primary organisations
disseminate the Party's ideologies, policies and principles and carry out the
resolutions and directions of the higher party organisations, and maintain
constant and close ties with the masses. Thus, Primary organisations are the
foundation of the Party which functions at the grass-root level to expand the
party's influence throughout the country.

12.7 THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY: ISSUES

AND CHALLENGES
At present, CPC is confronting a variety of issues and challenges from both
within and outside the party. This is quite natural given the highly centralized and
complex nature of the party. The often-encountered criticism facing the party
largely arises from the lack of transparency in governance and decision-making
process. Perhaps no party is more secretive as to its inner processes than the
CPC. China's politics remain far more secretive, decided by a handful of top
party leaders with no public scrutiny and accountability. For instance, the
succession and or selection of party leaders such as members of the Central
Committee, the Politburo and its Standing Committee, the CMC, the CCDI etc.
are decided by the top leadership in the party hierarchy. Very little information is
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available in the public domain how selections are made. On the other hand, the Role of Communist
Party in China
absence of independent press and the organised opposition party in the political
system lends credence to the perception that the party is not supportive of
freedom of expression and political reform. When confronted with choices
between greater control and more openness, CPC always opted for the former. In
such a politically restricted environment, CPC has been under intense criticisms
from both within and outside the country.
Another hotly debated topic among the observers of contemporary China is
related to the prospects of the CPC. Many China observers in the West have
questioned the viability of China‟s political system. Some of them have even
predicted the imminent collapse of China. China scholars like David Shambaugh,
Gordon Chang, etc. argue that CPC‟s rule in China is „historically anachronistic‟
and suffers from a deepening governance and legitimacy crisis. On the other
hand, forceful suppressive measures taken by CPC such as in the Tiananmen
massacre where hundreds of pro-democracy citizens were killed also undermined
the Communist Party‟s legitimacy and severely eroded its global reputation.
Coinciding with this, the growing awareness of civil and political rights among
the Chinese citizens and their growing expectations for wider political reforms
has brought profound challenge to the party. There is a growing demand for
political democratization, including multi-party election, internal democracy,
ensuring transparency, protection of civil rights and liberties and so on thereby
making the party more accountable. At the same time, development in new
technologies, especially the internet, has empowered the Chinese citizens in
tremendous ways, making it increasingly difficult for the CPC to control the
public opinion. Considering this, CPC has taken certain reform initiatives in the
economic sphere since the Deng Xiaoping era. However, the party has been
reluctant in introducing political reforms. Top leadership in the CPC, from the
time of Mao, has constantly rejected the multi-party system of election unsuitable
to China's society and tradition.
Tiananmen movement was one of the most significant protest movements in the
history of the PRC. It started in April 1989 with university students gathering in
Beijing‟s Tiananmen Square to commemorate the death of former party leader
and political reformer Hu Yaobang. The gathering soon transformed into a
protest camp against the communist regime, demanding for democracy, freedom
of speech, freedom of press etc. But, on 4th June, the communist party sent in
PLA troops and crushed the movement killing hundreds of civilian protestors.
The event is known as the „Tiananmen Massacre‟ incident.
Corruption is perhaps the biggest challenge facing the party in recent times.
Corruption is today so blatant and widespread in China that it affects the lives of
most people in the society. It not only eroded the reputation of the party but also
decreases its governing capacity. Acknowledging this, Jiang Zemin has said, the
fight against misconduct and corruption is a „grave political struggle vital for the
existence of the party and the state‟. Most scholars in the West argued that
China‟s problem of corruption has its structural causes, i.e., the autocratic nature
of the political system is responsible for it. Meanwhile, the rapid economic 185
Themes for growth in China since the 1980s also brought serious problems such as
Comparative
Analysis unemployment, income disparity etc. The widening gap between the rich and the
poor, the drift between urban and rural, and other frustrations breed social unrest
in many parts of China. As a result, a growing number of popular resistance and
protest has become visible across China, sometimes violently in recent years. All
these conditions in Chinese society illustrate a larger challenge facing the CPC
today. Though CPC used several methods to forestall any major violence out of
these uprising, how long the party would be able to maintain its stability and
legitimacy is a question many ask.

Check Your Progress 3

Note: i) Use the space given below for your answer.
ii) Check your answer with that given at the end of the unit.
1) What are the major challenges confronting the CPC today?
…………………………………………………………………………...……
…………………………………………………………………………...……
…………………………………………………………………………...……
…………………………………………………………………………...……
…………………………………………………………………………...……

12.8 LET US SUMUP

The CPC is the single most powerful political party in the PRC, which is having
a socialist political system. As a party based on the Leninist principle of
'vanguard party', the CPC not only seeks to exercise its authority over the
government but also over almost every aspect of the Chinese society. After its
takeover in 1949, the political, ideological and organizational leadership of the
CPC is authoritative and unquestionable.The Chinese political system does not
permit any organized interest groups or societies to influence the political process
unless they are under the CPC‟s authority. The CPC also forbids any attempt to
organize opposition within and outside the party. The above analysis of the CPC,
its powers and functioning shows that the Party is deeply rooted in Chinese
society. In a way, as a party which dominates the entire political system, the CPC
cannot be separated from both the state and society in China. Despite criticisms,
one can also argue that there is always a widespread acceptance/confidence
among the Chinese public at large towards the CPC. While most other
communist regimes have long perished in the post-Soviet period, the CPC has not
only survived but maintained its grip on power in ruling China. From the time of
Mao‟s era till the present, the Communist Party of China has never been
seriously challenged as China‟s ruling party (Joseph 2014: 4).In the words of
Mao Zedong, the Communist Party of China is „the force at the core, leading the
Chinese nation forward‟. Hence, for students who wish to observe China, the
centrality of the CPC must be taken into account.
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 Role of Communist
12.9 REFERENCES Party in China

Constitution of the Communist Party of China, Revised and Adopted at the 19th
National Congress of the CPC on October 24, 2017, (Full text of the Constitution
can be accessed at: http://www.china.org.cn/20171105-001.pdf
Jinping, Xi. (2014). The Governance of China, Beijing, Foreign Language Press.
Joseph, William A. ed. (2014), Politics in China: An Introduction. New York,
Oxford University Press.

Lenin (1966), „Left-Wing Communism: An Infantile Disorder‟, in Collected

Works of Lenin, Volume XXXI, Progress Publishers, Moscow, p.41
Mao Tse-Tung. (1965). Selected Works of Mao Tse-Tung, Vol. III, “Speech at the
Assembly of Representative of the Sheni-Kansu-Ningsia Border Region”,
Beijing, Foreign Language Press.
Mao Tsetung. (1967). “On the People‟s Democratic Dictatorship”, in Selected
Works, Volume IV. Beijing, Foreign Language Press.
Schurmann, Franz, (1966). Ideology and Organization in Communist China.
Berkeley, University of California Press.
Shambaugh, David. (2008). China’s Communist Party: Atrophy and Adaptation,
University of California Press, Berkeley, California.
Tiejian, Chen. (1992). “Historical Process of the Chinese Revolution from 1911
to 1949”, in Manoranjan Mohanty (ed.), Chinese Revolution: Comparative
Perspectives on Transformation of Non-Western Societies, Ajanta Publication,
Delhi.
Xiaoping, Deng. (1985). Build Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, Foreign
Language Press, Beijing.

12.10 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

EXCERCISE
Check Your Progress 1
1) Despite having eight minor parties in China‟s political system alongside the
CPC, China is regarded as a one-party system because of the overwhelming
dominance by the CPC. The minor parties are permitted to exist on the condition
of accepting the leadership of the CPC. CPC neither share power with other
parties nor allow the formation of new parties.

Check Your Progress 2

1) It is a Leninist principle which calls for building “democracy under centralized
guidance‟. It means the party exist at the top of power hierarchy, any decision
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Themes for taken by the CPC are bound to be abiding by the party organs, subordinate organs
Comparative
Analysis lower organizations and all individual members of the party.
2) Yes. The CPC officially proclaims Marxism-Leninism as its guiding
ideology.Although it is much less significant in China today than it was earlier.

Check Your Progress 3

1) The CPC faces multiple challenges and criticisms from both within and
outside the country because of its absence of transparency in governance and
decision-making process. The growing awareness of civil and political rights
among the Chinese citizens and their expectations for wider political reforms has
also given profound thereat to party‟s legitimacy, and also the emergence of new
technologies, especially the internet, has made people well-informed about
political affairs making it difficult for the party to control public opinion. Another
big challenge facing the party in recent times is corruption which not only eroded
the reputation of the party but also affects the lives of Chinese citizens.

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