Traditionally, people are appointed to government positions by leaders. This means appointment tends to be based on connections and bias, rather than an actual level of qualification. However, in recent years since 2001, there have been moves towards the "professionalizing" of the bureaucracy: making official positions subject to competition through civil service exams, instead of traditional appointment. Not only have civil service exams been implemented, but also a limit on how long officials can serve in the government - something that is unusual for a communist government. The change in appointment of government officials will lead to a change in policy - different ideas and concepts can be brought to government, rather than the same views of those officials party leaders would appoint themselves. Another major change that has affected policy making is the decentralization of government administration and the transfer of power in economic power to provincial and local authorities. And though the centralized power of the CCP still has considerable power over local affairs, this transfer of power allows local authorities to have more control over their own economic issues, which affects the policy making of these local authorities to be more focused on economic affairs. This, essentially, allows these authorities more freedom, to some degree.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Economy and Policy Reform in China
From 1943 - 1976, Mao Zedong was the chairman of the Chinese Politburo's Standing Committee, the top position in the CCP. Mao held the power in the government, but ruled in a highly personalistic and arbitrary style. Many of his policies were too idealistic and not so helpful. In 1982, after his death in 1976, the title of chairman was abolished, and the party leaders since then (Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao) have governed more as part of a collective leadership with members on the Standing Committee and the Politburo. This change in the distribution and handle on power (from "revolutionary" to "technocratic") has lead to economic reforms and changes in policy making.
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Wow. GREAT response, Tori! You make a very good point about the different focuses of Mao and Deng vs. Jiang and Hu--the last two do not have the revolutionary point of view of Mao or Deng and that has had a significant impact on policy making in the country. So has the shift in who serves in govt and who wields power. Decentralization is a big theme in recent years as the central government's role in policy making has shifted over time. This goes along with what Kesselman refers to as decentralized authoritarianism. That's a term you should be able to define and use effectively. Nice work!
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