China’s political regime is best categorized as authoritarian. Leaders are recruited through their membership in the Communist Party, but personal relationships and informal ties to others are also important in deciding who controls the regime. The challenge of this regime is the same problems of emperors of past dynasties, how to effectively govern the huge expanse of land and large population from one centralized place. The political structure of the People’s Republic of China is laid out in three parallel hierarchies [text annotation indicator] that are separate yet interact with one another; they are The Communist Party, the state (or government), and the People’s Liberation Army. The government structure has three branches, a legislature, an executive, and a judiciary, but all branches are controlled by the Party, so they are not independent, nor does a system of checks and balances exist.
Questions to consider:
- What is the unique lay-out of institutions in the People’s Republic of China?
Through what process does the criminal justice system work in China?
| Central Bodies of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| National Party Congress | 200 delegates | Meets every five years | Rubberstamps decisions made by the party leaders |
| Central Committee | 340 members | Meets annually | Group of Political elites; politburo and Standing Committee members are chosen from this group |
| Politburo/Standing Committee | Politburo has 24 members; 7 Standing Committee members chosen from the Politburo | Meets in secret | Membership reflects the balance of power among factions and the influence of groups in policymaking. |
Review Questions
China’s criminal justice system has a _____ conviction rate of all cases.
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99%
1. The political structure of the People’s Republic of China can best be described as_______ _____________ _____________.
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three parallel hierarchies