Chinese society intro

Introduction to contemporary Chinese society: 

Introduction to contemporary Chinese society

Overview of lecture: 

Overview of lecture Brief overview of political system and different descriptions of it Examples of some salient socio-political and economic issues in China today (brick kiln incident; food safety; China’s role in Africa) Some upcoming events (17th Party congress, Beijing Olympics)

Continuity and change: 

Continuity and change Changing state-society relations: How do individual citizens, groups and communities relate to the state? Formal and informal processes and institutions for political participation. What are the social and political consequences of the reforms for different groups of people, peasants, workers, women, migrants, ethnic minorities, religious believers, Party members, youth? What are the central questions facing China in the 21th century?

Continuity and change:Three phases: 

Continuity and change: Three phases The socialist building phase 1949-1958 The revolutionary phase 1958-1976 The reform period 1978- * 1980s: economic growth and political stability, rebuilding the legal system, opening up to the outside world *The crucial year 1989: inflation and growing corruption, democracy movement, back-lash with conservatives getting upperhand, Zhao Ziyang ousted and Jiang Zemin new Party secretary * Post-1992: Deng Xiaoping’s trip to the South, economic reforms back on track, growing international trade * 1990s: growing income gap, labour and rural protests, political stability under Jiang Zemin, death of Deng Xiaoping 1997, new threat from Falun Gong * Since 2002-2003: a new political leadership under Hu Jintao and Wen Jiabao (populism, emphasis on social equity compared to pro-growth strategy during Jiang Zemin)

A fragmented authoritarian state?: 

A fragmented authoritarian state? The CCP no longer controls private and economic life Centre vs provinces and localities Institutional and departmental divisions Authority fragmented by function, by territory, and by rank A growing civil society Party legitimacy depends on economic growth, stability, and nationalism rather than communism as an ideology The social and political consequences of the economic reforms The viability of the one-Party state? State capacity weakening at the centre? Growth of the local state (local state corporatism, predatory state)?

How to understand the Chinese state?: 

How to understand the Chinese state? Fragmented authoritarian state (Lieberthal) Growth of the local state (Shue), local state corporatism (Oi) Authoritarian resilience (Nathan) Political decay, declining state capacity (Dickson, Gilley) Trapped transition (Pei Minxin) Successful model (Randy Peerenboom)

Problems with the Chinese political system: 

Problems with the Chinese political system One-Party rule and interference in state administration (including the legal system) No free and open elections to the National People’s Congress and limited elections to lower level people’s congresses Right to political participation and freedom of speech, assembly and association circumscribed No transparency and accountability, leads to corruption, weak legitimacy Problems of bureaucratic cooperation and division of power leading to inefficiency and corruption Problem of enforcing laws and regulations at the local level

Brick kiln scandal: 

Brick kiln scandal Story unravelled as parents started looking for missing children in Henan and Shanxi Some 1000 children and adults trafficked and/or held under slave-like conditions in brick kilns Official negligence and involvement of officials Media reports and strong official reaction from Beijing Investigations and arrests of people

Response to and effects of the scandal: 

Response to and effects of the scandal Critique in media allowed at first but later restrictions and calls to tone down the scandal and report the tough and resolute actions of the state Reveals problems with economic development, weak position of vulnerable groups (children, migrants), local corruption and protectionism, poor enforcement of laws, role of media, and role of active citizens Touch upon issues of accountability, transparency, and limits of media reporting

Food safety scandals: 

Food safety scandals Reports of tainted toothpaste, poisonous toys etc Issues related to consumer protection at home and abroad Issues related to China’s image abroad and the threat of Chinese export products

China as a growing global poer: 

China as a growing global poer Growing importance in Asia (investments in Thailand, support of Burmese military regime, threat against Taiwan, balancing influence on the Korean issue, history text controversy with Japan etc) Growing importance in Africa and Latinamerica (investments, need for natural resources, including oil, support of non-democratic regimes) China and the US the only superpowers today China more assertive (peaceful rise of China vs China threat)

Upcoming events: 

Upcoming events 17th Party Congress (finding the successor to hu Jintao, tight control until mid-October to be expected, new policy shifts?) The Beijing Olympics (impact on Chinese society and international reactions regarding human rights, media, and evictions and forced re-settlement)

Wither China? Different scenarios: 

Wither China? Different scenarios Party resilience and Party reform (co-opting middle-class and businessmen, supervision and strengthening accountability etc) Party collapse (social unrest, inner-Party conflicts) Democracy (growing civil society, impact of globalization and change of values, reforms from inside or calls from below)