triple C,
Quote:
The resilience of the Chinese Communist Party is the direct result of its monopolization on the levers of power. The CCP has absolute control of the PLA, the para-military forces, the secret police, schools, and the media. 'Civil society' as such does not exist in China; every organization, political or otherwise, must have Party Representatives appointed by the government.
For example, every department in the Beijin university has its communist party membership holding representative that has veto powers over every department decision. Christian churches too are under the supervision of the Party, and this has been a stumbling block between Vatican-Beijin relationship in spite of mutual will to work out a formal treaty. The same goes for TV channels and newspapers.
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i would argue this point differently. the resilience of the CCP post-6/4 is because it has- perhaps temporarily- won the backing of the people with its economic reforms. this is what is keeping it afloat, far more securely than their control of the PLA, PAP, etc etc.
by the way, CCP control of schools and media is not as iron-fisted as you name. there have been quite a few whistle-blowers within the media, for example. some of them get canned, some of them even get jailed; however, a few get through, and sometimes even influences official policy.
also, civil society doesn't necessarily need to include other parties. taiwan had a pretty good civil society prior to the KMT ceding power in the 80s. same with japan and its LDP. instead, civil society includes things such as community involvement and institutions. there has been evidence of the NPC and the chinese judicial branch being given greater say than in the past, with the once certain 100% support within the NPC for CCP decrees no longer so certain, and with the judicial branch sometimes slapping down the CCP.
obviously china's still an authoritarian country. but it's less authoritarian than it was 15 years ago. i personally do think if the CCP -does- go away, it probably WILL go with a whimper, KMT-style.