Sovereignty, Authority, and Power Webpages
Description
During the last two and half millenniums, with over four hundred kings or emperors and at least twenty-five different dynasties, China has one of the longest history and is considered as one of the oldest civilizations to date.
Capacity:
China has a large capacity and has the practical ability to carry out fundamental tasks. Besides being able to sustain a strong state that provides the basic necessities for the people, the Chinese government has successfully developed a proficient military and maintained a relatively stable economy. However, the increased reliance on foreign capital and recently accumulated foreign debt may bring about potential risks towards China's capacity to protect its economy and citizens from the fluctuating world economy.
Autonomy:
China is a highly autonomous and self-governing country. Out of the 23 provinces in China, there are 5 regions that have their own local government. These 5 autonomous regions are: Xinjiang, Tibet, Inner Mongolia, Guangxi, and Ningxia. Regional autonomy was first established due to the needs of the ethnic minority groups and is currently practiced in areas with a high concentrated community of ethnic minorities. WIth such types of self-government, ethnic minorities are able to manage the internal affairs of their own regions and exercise their rights as masters of their homelands.
Additionally, the state itself is highly autonomous from the influence of foreign nations. Due to the one party system, foreign influences cannot sway party views as easily as in democratic nations. Additionally the high capacity of the government keeps it from relying too much on foreign aid.
Legitimacy: Traditional (based on the claim of godly origin)
Since the West Zhou Dynasty, ancient Chinese rulers often legitimized their political power by "tian" (Heaven) and claiming to be the Son of the Dragon. These rulers followed a set of Confucian beliefs called the Mandate of Heaven. These beliefs stated that, "...unless a ruler behaves by strict moral and ethical standards, he would lose his divine right to rule and could be overthrown by the people." With the passing down of this culture, the Chinese officials were mostly intellectual elites who focused on studying the Confucian ethic of rule.
Current Government's Legitimacy:
The current government's legitimacy lies in both traditional and rational. First off, the CCP is the sole government whose state composed of China as a whole. Because they have always ruled the Chinese (and various ethnic groups) nation, their rule is generally accepted by the populace. The other is that of rational-legal legitimacy. Though the government in Taiwan claim that they control China, actually having de facto control over the territory would actually help quite a bit. As the legal successor to the previous regime through the "victory" of the civil war, not only does the CCP have de facto, but de jure control as well.
In addition to inherited legitimacy, the CCP also has gained legitimacy through it (relatively) successful policies over the years. The strengthening of the Chinese economy and the rise of China on an international level attests and reinforces China's legitimacy.
Authority:
As mentioned previously, officials were known as the mandates of Heaven and diligently studied Confucian beliefs. One of the main points of Confucianism is regarding the belief that "rulers must make decisions on behalf of the people, and that those decisions must not do harm to the well-being of the people." Despite the abandonment of the Mandate of Heaven, this Confucian ideology continues to emphasize the belief of the government's role as a provider of benefits; which, in turn, enables Chinese governments and officials to assume a more asserted role in the decision making process.
Capacity:
China has a large capacity and has the practical ability to carry out fundamental tasks. Besides being able to sustain a strong state that provides the basic necessities for the people, the Chinese government has successfully developed a proficient military and maintained a relatively stable economy. However, the increased reliance on foreign capital and recently accumulated foreign debt may bring about potential risks towards China's capacity to protect its economy and citizens from the fluctuating world economy.
Autonomy:
China is a highly autonomous and self-governing country. Out of the 23 provinces in China, there are 5 regions that have their own local government. These 5 autonomous regions are: Xinjiang, Tibet, Inner Mongolia, Guangxi, and Ningxia. Regional autonomy was first established due to the needs of the ethnic minority groups and is currently practiced in areas with a high concentrated community of ethnic minorities. WIth such types of self-government, ethnic minorities are able to manage the internal affairs of their own regions and exercise their rights as masters of their homelands.
Additionally, the state itself is highly autonomous from the influence of foreign nations. Due to the one party system, foreign influences cannot sway party views as easily as in democratic nations. Additionally the high capacity of the government keeps it from relying too much on foreign aid.
Legitimacy: Traditional (based on the claim of godly origin)
Since the West Zhou Dynasty, ancient Chinese rulers often legitimized their political power by "tian" (Heaven) and claiming to be the Son of the Dragon. These rulers followed a set of Confucian beliefs called the Mandate of Heaven. These beliefs stated that, "...unless a ruler behaves by strict moral and ethical standards, he would lose his divine right to rule and could be overthrown by the people." With the passing down of this culture, the Chinese officials were mostly intellectual elites who focused on studying the Confucian ethic of rule.
Current Government's Legitimacy:
The current government's legitimacy lies in both traditional and rational. First off, the CCP is the sole government whose state composed of China as a whole. Because they have always ruled the Chinese (and various ethnic groups) nation, their rule is generally accepted by the populace. The other is that of rational-legal legitimacy. Though the government in Taiwan claim that they control China, actually having de facto control over the territory would actually help quite a bit. As the legal successor to the previous regime through the "victory" of the civil war, not only does the CCP have de facto, but de jure control as well.
In addition to inherited legitimacy, the CCP also has gained legitimacy through it (relatively) successful policies over the years. The strengthening of the Chinese economy and the rise of China on an international level attests and reinforces China's legitimacy.
Authority:
As mentioned previously, officials were known as the mandates of Heaven and diligently studied Confucian beliefs. One of the main points of Confucianism is regarding the belief that "rulers must make decisions on behalf of the people, and that those decisions must not do harm to the well-being of the people." Despite the abandonment of the Mandate of Heaven, this Confucian ideology continues to emphasize the belief of the government's role as a provider of benefits; which, in turn, enables Chinese governments and officials to assume a more asserted role in the decision making process.
In this above info-graphic provided by the Guardian we can deduce certain points about China:
1) Due to the world's largest budget surplus, China has a high level of economical autonomy.
2) Due to the small presence of social media, it can be deduced that the populace have little to no role in affecting government policies.
1) Due to the world's largest budget surplus, China has a high level of economical autonomy.
2) Due to the small presence of social media, it can be deduced that the populace have little to no role in affecting government policies.
Political Culture
The political culture of China is that of a strong state. China has an interesting political and judicial system that enforces laws the way the (Chinese Communist Party) CCP wants. Though the government does listen to the "demands" of their people, the Chinese government does it in their own way. Recent signs show that China is shifting from a completely autonomous government to that of a very autonomous one - the government still does what it wants to do and the people mostly sticks up with it. One example is that of a certain protest in a certain square in a certain capital that was possibly crushed by a certain nation's army...lets not name names so a certain someone (this author) will not "disappear."
As stated above, the government has the autonomy and the capability to rely on coercion rather than rely on consensus, a concept that would not apply well, due to China's large population. The government is also highly centralized, although there are provincial government that wield considerably power, they still strictly follow the 5 year plans set by the central government - this is essentially the definition of a Unitarian state, as the central government still holds the most amount of power.
As stated above, the government has the autonomy and the capability to rely on coercion rather than rely on consensus, a concept that would not apply well, due to China's large population. The government is also highly centralized, although there are provincial government that wield considerably power, they still strictly follow the 5 year plans set by the central government - this is essentially the definition of a Unitarian state, as the central government still holds the most amount of power.
Explanation of Political Culture
This above graph also explains the cultural values of China. As a nation that skews to the survival/secular-rational end we can learn many things from this graph:
Things we learn from the Secular-Rational Front:
1) Religion plays no role in government.
2) Abortion is justifiable
3) Weak sense of national pride (though there is a large sense of pride in one's state in China.)
4) It is more important to retain communication and independence rather than obedience (global stage) and religion (or any binding cause).
Things we can learn from the Survival Front:
1) the government will prioritize economic and physical security over self-expression and quality of life.
2) the individuals will not sign a petition (no tyranny of the majority, but rather a political battle royal)
3) Homosexuality is never justifiable (as they can't have kids. This stance is actually reflected in China)
4) Government feels that they have to be very careful in trusting people (thereby insuring their own political sovereignty and safety.)
Things we learn from the Secular-Rational Front:
1) Religion plays no role in government.
2) Abortion is justifiable
3) Weak sense of national pride (though there is a large sense of pride in one's state in China.)
4) It is more important to retain communication and independence rather than obedience (global stage) and religion (or any binding cause).
Things we can learn from the Survival Front:
1) the government will prioritize economic and physical security over self-expression and quality of life.
2) the individuals will not sign a petition (no tyranny of the majority, but rather a political battle royal)
3) Homosexuality is never justifiable (as they can't have kids. This stance is actually reflected in China)
4) Government feels that they have to be very careful in trusting people (thereby insuring their own political sovereignty and safety.)
Nation's Legitimacy
Political Efficacy and the Veil of Ignorance:
According to a poll conducted by Zhao WenYuan, Chinese respondents, on average, ranked their level of political efficacy on a higher scale. Greatly due to the internet era, Chinese citizens believe that the government is now "more open, transparent, and accountable." Also, they have noticed that the authorities occasionally adapt their policies regarding a certain event according to the public opinion on the internet. Therefore, the political efficacy of China, according to the average Chinese respondents, is relatively high.
Accountability:The Chinese government has a low accountability rate. Instead, the government has a greater emphasis on responsibility. The major difference between accountability and responsibility is:
Legitimacy (mentioned above):
Traditional legitimacy is based on the claim of godly origin. China used to use the Mandate of heaven as the main source of legitimacy; however, the Politburo now determines the legitimacy of the government. The Chinese government is fairly legitimate because it is able to maintain a relatively well economic growth. This, of course is in addition to the CCP's inherent traditional legitimacy and economically fueled legal rational authority.
In a most recent poll conducted by BBC, 91% of the people in China believe that China's economy is going in the right direction.in contrast to UK's 45%. A strong economy can only reinforce a country's legitimacy.
According to a poll conducted by Zhao WenYuan, Chinese respondents, on average, ranked their level of political efficacy on a higher scale. Greatly due to the internet era, Chinese citizens believe that the government is now "more open, transparent, and accountable." Also, they have noticed that the authorities occasionally adapt their policies regarding a certain event according to the public opinion on the internet. Therefore, the political efficacy of China, according to the average Chinese respondents, is relatively high.
Accountability:The Chinese government has a low accountability rate. Instead, the government has a greater emphasis on responsibility. The major difference between accountability and responsibility is:
- Partial interest versus the interest of the whole
- The interest of the present vs. the interest of the future
- The interest for change and the interest for order
Legitimacy (mentioned above):
Traditional legitimacy is based on the claim of godly origin. China used to use the Mandate of heaven as the main source of legitimacy; however, the Politburo now determines the legitimacy of the government. The Chinese government is fairly legitimate because it is able to maintain a relatively well economic growth. This, of course is in addition to the CCP's inherent traditional legitimacy and economically fueled legal rational authority.
In a most recent poll conducted by BBC, 91% of the people in China believe that China's economy is going in the right direction.in contrast to UK's 45%. A strong economy can only reinforce a country's legitimacy.
Websites:
http://geography.about.com/od/chinamaps/tp/china-autonomous-Regions.htm
http://www.academia.edu/165448/Political_Legitimacy_and_Chinas_Transition
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13017877
http://www.scribd.com/doc/49000113/China-Comparative-Government
http://www.theglobalist.com/governing-china-accountability-vs-responsibility/
http://www.mapsofworld.com/pages/fast-facts/the-peoples-republic-of-china/
http://infogr8.com/wp-content/uploads/china-in-numbers-infographic.gif
http://geography.about.com/od/chinamaps/tp/china-autonomous-Regions.htm
http://www.academia.edu/165448/Political_Legitimacy_and_Chinas_Transition
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13017877
http://www.scribd.com/doc/49000113/China-Comparative-Government
http://www.theglobalist.com/governing-china-accountability-vs-responsibility/
http://www.mapsofworld.com/pages/fast-facts/the-peoples-republic-of-china/
http://infogr8.com/wp-content/uploads/china-in-numbers-infographic.gif