We talk to historian of China Hans van de Ven about the origins of the CCP and its extraordinary rise to power. How has it managed to adapt to the changes of the last forty years and what lessons will be drawn as it approaches its one hundredth birthday?
Talking Points:
The Chinese Communist Party is an incredible success story. A group of students met in Shanghai; 30 years later, they were running a vast country.
The CCP didn’t become a Maoist party until the Second World War.
The West tends to see Mao’s death as the decisive shift, but Mao himself allowed new people to come to the fore, including Deng Xiaoping.
The Party is still the dominant institution in Chinese life. Although Chinese life is more pluralistic under market reform, the Party still calls the final shots.
A key element of the Chinese political tradition is a direct connection between the highest and the lowest rungs of society. New technology makes this easier.
As the 100th anniversary of the Party approaches, the leadership faces a dilemma: taking the history of the Party seriously could threaten its present legitimacy.
Further Learning:
Recommended Reading:
Red Flags: Why Xi's China is in Jeopardy, George Magnus (Yale, 2018)
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