KEY FEATURES OF THE CHINESE POLITICAL SYSTEM

· THE PARTY-STATE: zhongyang (the Center)

· PARALLEL STRUCTURES

· PYRAMIDAL POWER

· DEMOCRATIC CENTRALISM

· EMPHASIS ON LEADERSHIP AND ORGANIZATION

· “PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC DICTATORSHIP”

· “NEW AUTHORITARIANISM”

· MODELS: FROM TOTALITARIAN TO STATE-SOCIETY

· SOURCES OF POLITICAL AND MORAL AUTHORITY

· “YENAN WAY” AND POLITICAL REALITIES

· “FEUDAL THINKING” AND “PARTY LIFE”

· THE NEW SOCIALIST CULTURE/“CIVILIZATION” (RED & EXPERT)

· PERSONALISM AND PATRONAGE

· PROMINENCE OF ELITES,FACTIONALISM, BARGAINING. IMPLICATIONS FOR

· ALLOCATION DECISIONS

· ACCOUNTABILITY

· REPRESENTATION

· ELECTIONS

· JUDICIAL REVIEW AND RULE OF LAW

· POLICY DEBATES: INTEREST GROUPS, BUREAUCRATIC POLITICS, FACTIONS

· ADVANCEMENT, RECRUITMENT CRITERIA

· RULE BY COALITIONS: REFORMERS/“PRAGMATISTS,” TECHNOCRATS, IDEOLOGUES, SOLDIERS

· CENTRALIZATION VS. DECENTRALIZATION

· DISCIPLINE: CORRUPTION, PRIVILEGE, AND BUREAUCRATISM

· POLITICAL REFORM AND ITS LIMITS

· EFFICIENCY

· HANDLING DISSENT

· SEPARATING PARTY AND STATE

· PROFESSIONALISM

· LIFETIME TENURE

· CULT OF PERSONALITY AND OTHER “FEUDAL” WAYS

· ADMINISTRATIVE VERSUS CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY

· INNER-PARTY, CENTER-LOCAL & OTHER TENSIONS