| ID | 181935 |
| Title Proper | Balances, Norms and Institutions |
| Other Title Information | Why Elite Politics in the CCP Have Not Institutionalized |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Fewsmith, Joseph |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | In recent years, explanations of the Chinese Communist Party's longevity as a ruling party have focused on institutionalization. But a close look at the four leaders of China since 1978 reveal that institutions have remained weak. Of much greater importance have been balances that reflect the informal distribution of power and norms that express agreed-upon Party procedures. Of yet even greater importance have been the efforts of individual leaders to concentrate power in themselves through the appointment of protégés to critical positions. Such leaders also attempt to extend their influence beyond their terms in office through those protégés and their roles as “elders.” Thus, we see a tension between Party norms and the centralizing tendencies of Leninist systems in which the centralizing tendencies usually prevail. With Xi Jinping, we see a far greater personalization of power disrupting the norms and balances existing under previous leaders. |
| `In' analytical Note | China Quarterly Vol.248 , S1; Nov 2021: p.265 - 282 |
| Journal Source | China Quarterly No 248 S |
| Key Words | China ; Balance ; Norms ; Institutionalization ; Promotion System ; Informal Politics |