Peer reviewed analysis from world leading experts

The Chinese Communist Party's self-management

Reading Time: 4 mins

In Brief

Membership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has grown from over 50 members in 1921 to more than 80 million in 2011.

Under the leadership of the CCP, China, with its ancient traditions, regained a youthful vitality and has become a powerful economy with the second largest GDP in the world.

Share

  • A
  • A
  • A

Share

  • A
  • A
  • A

How does the CCP manage so many party members and mobilise them to help achieve national goals?

One of the key strategies of the CCP is to establish and develop organisations in large population centres. In September 1927, Mao Zedong made the decision to establish party branches in military units. He believed this was an important way to manage the army and develop the party. The party has since been active in the grassroots units of the army. The leadership role taken by party members has improved the army’s skills and its esprit de corps.

The CCP built on the organisational experience it gained from its work within the army and expanded it to areas already occupied by the army, establishing a well-knit organisational network. Later, the party’s constitution stipulated that it should establish grassroots units throughout China. It is through these ubiquitous units that the CCP has penetrated into every corner of society and maintains effective organisation of the country and Chinese society.

To deal with problems affecting its grassroots organisations, the CCP pursued a grid management system whereby the whole of China was divided into grids. At the time, the CCP succeeded in creating a new regional party structure, and deployment of the grid arrangement allowed party organisations comprehensive coverage.

The CCP’s ability to grow stronger and retain its vigour and authority has a lot to do with its dedication to learning and absorbing new dimensions of governance, as well as its continuing efforts to remain progressive.

Strict entry criteria and procedures guarantee that the CCP’s organisations consist mainly of progressive thinkers. Currently, before becoming a party member, a candidate must go through 17 procedures. When admitted to the party, individuals must swear their loyalty to the party, be obedient to the party’s constitution, and be willing to sacrifice their lives for the party’s cause.

The CCP attaches great importance to the daily management of its members. It holds up model party members, encouraging the wider membership to learn from them. The party also stresses the role of learning in its future development, and underlines that the task of establishing a ‘learning party’ is paramount.

One aspect of CCP policy that is crucial to its success is its dedication to investing in the ideological education of its members, and developing and refining its internal philosophy. The party regularly makes ideological adjustments and theoretical innovations in various areas, as an examination of the ideological history of the party shows.

Mao Zedong proposed adapting Marxism to China’s unique social context. His ideas are referred to as ‘Mao Zedong thought’. After the Cultural Revolution, Deng Xiaoping put forward a series of ideas about how China should go its own way ideologically — ‘Deng Xiaoping theory’. This evolutionary progress continued with former President Jiang Zemin, who put great stress on the internal reconstruction of the party. General Secretary Hu Jintao also advocated the importance of scientific development concept strategy.

To foster acceptance of theoretical innovations, many bases were established for cadre education and training at all levels of the party. The CCP also expends great energy making its guiding principles more accessible to the masses. With its globalised citizens facing different ideological concepts, the CCP stresses the need to guide China’s development with the theoretical system and path of Chinese socialism. Constitutions have been of fundamental importance to the CCP and underpin its long-term governance.

The CCP asks party members to follow a strict discipline. In the revolutionary period the party rallied behind a song itled Three Disciplines and Eight Attentions. Nowadays members abide by some 100 party regulations. The party’s strict constitution has been integral to improving its capacity to rule and develop the art of leadership. In recent years, the CCP has introduced the political practice of ‘falling on one’s sword’ — taking the blame and resigning — for major failures or scandals.

The CCP’s decision-making process has gradually changed from one that was dominated by individuals to a structure that registers more collective weight and influence. Decision-making has become more democratic and decisions more efficacious. The CCP has tried to change its mode of governing, putting forward the idea of ruling in a scientific, democratic and law-based manner. It has been suggested that the party should function mainly as an ideological core and its organisations as the main coordinators.

In these ways, the CCP exercises management of the affairs of the country and society, and has extra muscle to manage what is an extremely large organisation.

Sheng Chuanliang is Associate Professor, Department of Party History, Chinese Central Party School, Beijing.

This article appeared in the most recent edition of the East Asia Forum Quarterly, ‘Governing China’.

Comments are closed.

Support Quality Analysis

Donate
The East Asia Forum office is based in Australia and EAF acknowledges the First Peoples of this land — in Canberra the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people — and recognises their continuous connection to culture, community and Country.

Article printed from East Asia Forum (https://www.eastasiaforum.org)

Copyright ©2024 East Asia Forum. All rights reserved.