Use your textbook, the structural-functional flow chart I provided you with, the lecture notes I’ve provided, and the BBC site Inside China’s Ruling Party to learn the structures and functions of the institutional framework of the PRC.
This report for Congress could prove useful as well.
Be prepared for a quiz on this material. If you know how the PRC government works, the quiz will be easy. It is multiple choice and fill in the blank.
First (and only?) post! Or i’m in the wrong place. My summary:
China is currently ruled by a group of nine autocrats, who reached this position through personal connections. They were not elected in a competitive election. Their formal power comes from their positions in the Politburo, which is also an elite group of individuals. The politburo controls the Military Affairs Commission, the National Peoples Congress, and the State Council.
The MAC is ANOTHER group of elite individuals (pattern?) who “control†the PLA, along with its nukes. I say “control†because they are dependent on each other. The Politburo needs to PLA to assure their control (like during Tiananmen) and the MAC needs the Politburo for funding. Appointment to the MAC requires no military background, just a nice set of connections. The PLA itself is just the military arm of the CCP. All officers are in the party. These guys just have a different kind of leverage than the civilians.
The National Peoples Congress is pretty worthless. While it was meant to be one of the more powerful organs in the Chinese government body, all it is is a bunch of yes-men that pass pre-approved decisions. Like a really wimpy version of the House of Lords, but without the cool name. The Congress has 3000 members, 70% of which are CCP members, with 5 year terms. A full Congress with all 3000 of them is held only once a year, due to their extreme spread-outness. During the rest of the time, 150 of them make all the decisions, which means they have the most influence. An additional task of the NPC is to elect “high†level positions like the president and vice president. Unfortunately there is usually only one candidate for any office.
The State Councils main job is to make sure party policy is carried out locally and nationally. It is supposed to answer to the NPC, but that’s kind of like Mr. Lazar taking orders from Barrett. Which means its doesn’t happen. Its most important jobs are to manage the budget and economy, giving a large amount of power. I have to quote this: “It is also responsible for law and order.†Just a side note there. Its only the law.
The system of Courts and Prosecutors serve mainly to control people and the economy. It usually always rules in favor of China (no kidding). Strangely enough, the laws it makes are not always followed, which leads me to compare this organ to the appendix. Useless, but dangerous if inflamed. But only to individual common folk. They also “answer†to the NPC.
Provinces & townships are the local governments of the provinces, municipalities etc. The people in charge can be pretty powerful, but their power is limited by party policy. If they screw up, their career is over. Decisions are made at the top and are passed down to the local level. Each level has its own mini-NPC, which is even less powerful, if that is imaginable.
The Discipline Commission is a feared government policing force that investigates party members that may be corrupt, or merely in the way of “progressâ€. That’s more or less it.
Party Elders are the fat cats of Chinese politics. They sit around and tell the Politburo what to do. Wait, is this an official government post? Elder? Or is it just something BBC put up to be funny? I’m not sure the CCP would appreciate the representation of their government. Anyhoo, it’s a nice job. Probably the one that all Chinese politicians hope for. Am I missing something?