China Presentation

By: Andrew Ratzlaff, Jack Hayes, Chad Watwood, Luke Clayton and Jonathan

Martin

Basic Information

• Largest population of any country- 1.35 billion• 3rd largest land size• 2nd largest economy in the world

Levels of Government

• 22 provinces• 5 Autonomous regions• 4 Centrally Administered Municipalities

(Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Chongqing)• 2 Administrative regions (Hong Kong and

Macau)

Centralization Trends

• Economic• Politically• People lack various rights

Executive Branch

• Dual Executive branch• President is Head of State (Xi Jinping currently)• Premier is Head of Government (Li Keqiang

currently)

Executive Branch

• Premier approved by Central Committee• Premier powers• Non-competitive

Executive Branch

• Recent Elections• Referendums for approval• Cabinet• Chosen by party• Technocrats

Legislative Branch

• Asymmetric Bicameral• Central Committee-204 (Upper)• National People’s Congress-2100 (Lower)

Legislative Branch

• No runoffs, “competitive elections”• Hierarchy• Politburo influence• All CCP

Political System

• Loose parliamentary system• Party Lines• “Fusion of Powers”

Political Culture

• Prideful, people seem to respect central government as long as economy grows

• Long lasting from dynastic rule• Deng Xiaoping Theory• Communist mentality• No “I” in team

Political Socialization

• Family• Media• While censored, can still show different view

points • Government • Implements a class on the party in schools

Political Cleavage

• Location, Location, Ethnicity • NW part of China- Tibet, Uighers (~90 Han Chinese)• Urban-RuralLarge gap in income and overall lifestyle• Non coinciding• Bring revolutions/uprisings in the country

Media Role in China

• Watchdog• Television- CCTV, Xinhua• Papers-People’s Daily• “Internet”- Great Firewall• Not all is censored

Media Roles

• Government control has lessened over some outlets

• Government still can interfere if they go “too far”

• Heavily monitored internet• #nohashtagsforyou

Political Participation

• Voting – Increased in recent years as more competitiveness increases

• All elections are indirect and already created bodies vote for higher up

• Chinese Communist Party – State party where most people express interest

• Youth League

Political Violence

• Tiananmen Square (1989)• Kashgar attack (2008)• Xinjiang Ethnic Clashes (2013)

Women in Politics/China

• Women make up 22% of Chinese law makers1/5 of CCP • Women have made strides in China in

education• Freedoms are still restricted• Workplace• One Child

Minorities

• Extremely small percentage are present in county (~8%)

• All live in separate regions of country• Many have different political identities- Tibet • 15% are in lawmaking position• Minorities are given some free range in

region • Uighers allowed to practice Islam

Policy Making

• Policy Decisions and Executives– President & Premier– Standing Committee of Politburo

• Legislative– Both houses– Approval

• Judicial Branch

Policy Making

• Fragmented Authoritarianism• Politburo power• Two sides• Secretive

Political Party

• Chinese Communist Party (CCP)• Competition?• Marxism-Leninism

– Karl Marx – Vladimir Lenin

• Source of power

Elites

• CCP Members• Guanxi • Actual power• Symbolic positions

Interest Groups

• None• “threat to the state”• Restricted speech

Bureaucracy

• 3.6 million Primary Party Organizations(branches)– Businesses– Government Offices– Schools– Neighborhoods– Wal-Mart Headquarters

• Party Secretary & Party Committee

Military

• “A people’s army created and led by the Communist Party of China”

• Central Military Commission(CMC)– Members

• 2% of GDP goes to Military– $245.2 Billion(2012)

Military

• People’s Armed Police(PAP)– Guards– Border Patrol– Counter-terrorism– Public Disturbances

Military

• Ministry of Public State Security– 1.7 million– Secret Police– Intellegence

• Serious crimes– Laogai– Laojiao– 3 years without trial

Military

• Bureaucracy• Political motivation• Judicial

Judiciary

• Judicial independence• Party control• Reform

– Number of lawyers– Number of lawsuits

• Appointments approved• Lawyers harassed

Judiciary

• Supreme People’s Court• Higher Courts(Provinces)• Intermediate Courts(Cities)• Grassroots Courts(Counties and Townships)• Judicial Review?

– Legislative Approval

Judiciary

• Official investigations• Swift & harsh• Predetermined• 99% conviction• Capital Punishment

Judiciary

• Constitution• Code law• Rule by law• Rule of law• Common law

– Guanxi

Conflict in China

• Civil War (1930s)• Nationalists in Taiwan• Invasion of Tibet (1950)• Conflicts with Soviets

Social Movements

• Tiananmen Square -1989– Lack of political freedom

• Protests over corruption, regional inequalities, etc.

• Liu Xiaobo– Nobel Peace Prize in 2010

Political Characteristics under Mao

• Very totalitarian– No political dissent– Communist Party ideals

• Cultural Revolution(1966-1976)• Mao’s “iron rice bowl”

Politics under Deng• Softer Authoritarianism • Technocrats and other young officials• Constitution of 1982 • Lack of major political reform

Economy under Mao

• Centrally-planned, socialistic economy • Private property reform• Resource waste• Great Leap Forward(1958)

Economy under Deng

• Shift towards market economy• Private business• Change in philosophy• Economic growth • Regional inequalities

Effects of Reforms• Huge inequalities • Corruption• Historical reform trends

Globalization

• Increased globalization• Foreign investments and trade • 2nd largest trading nation

Public policy

Major Influences

Communist Party of China United States and Russia WTO

Xi JinpingLi KeqiangZhang DejiangYu ZhengshengLiu YunshanWang QishanZhang Gaoli

Russia and the US

Constant struggle for worldwide supremacy Economic competition between US and China American pressure to change to a more

market economy Cooperation with Russia in Central Asia

Social Class

Welfare reforms since 1990 Imbalance of wealth distribution A nationwide minimum wage at 40% average

urban salaries Rapidly growing middle class Gini index is slowly getting better

Civil Liberties

Re Education camps abolished Great Firewall Criminal Executions

Environment

China is not in Mother Nature's Fave 5 Government does little to regulate dumping No Car Days Attempting to reduce air pollution by 25% by

2017 Green Wall of China

Population

Loosening of the one-child policy Current population is aging China favors males over females

Terrorism

Since 9/11 China increased cooperation with worldwide counter terrorist efforts

Uyghur People China does not mess around with terrorists

Corruption

In 2013 China was ranked 80th out of 178 Bribing is quite common Politicians are unusually wealthy