This reading use data obtained from the ‘China Survey’ to
measure attitudes towards democracy specifically applied to China and more
conceptually, also measuring several related variables for understanding of the
reasons for support (or not) for democracy in China and just as a concept and
how these reasons might vary.
The variables measured are ‘belief
that a multi-party system will lead to chaos’, and ‘belief that a one party system is best for China’.
The author stresses that the party has all but abandoned Marxism,
replacing it with a focus on wealth and stability, and some nationalistic
elements. Given the memories of the Mao era, a high premium is placed on
stability.
This emphasis on wealth has created large social change that
there is such strong social tension that a one party state is almost the only
way to maintain stability. People can have wealth and stability provided the
party is there to control things, seems to be the official perspective.
Ultimately by strengthening tensions in society and positioning itself as the
only entity capable of maintaining order the Party has created an essential
role for itself. The one party state is exclusively thought of as the rule of
the Communist Party, there is no unpacking of one from the other.
Another feature of the official narrative is the belief that
democracy is ‘forced’ on developing countries by the west. This exacerbated
existing tensions and created conflict, tensions exist in China meaning it may
not be ready for pluralism if it wishes to avoid the fates of many other
developing democracies. I think it’s interesting to note how this perspective
ultimately takes a concept which emphasises that the citizens of a country have
a voice, and makes it seem as though democracy is the will of foreign powers
being projected onto the Chinese. Following this theme, arguments in favour of
the status quo from the government are often attacks on democracy rather than
the merits of a single party state, and even less often the merits of the CCP
as the ruling party of the single party system.
The attempts to measure these factors and how they interact
and correlate provide some understanding for why the system of non-democracy in
China remains popular despite the widespread appeal of democracy as a concept.
The broad classifications for these values are as follows
aa)
Attitudes towards competition and how it
influences stability
bb)
Satisfaction with the status quo, specifically
government
cc)
National pride
These can be broken down into the following variables
11)
competition economically
22)
competition politically (idea marketplace)
33)
preference for stability
44)
life satisfaction
55)
government satisfaction
66)
freedom satisfaction
77)
national pride/shame
89)
communist party membership
77.5% of people supported the one party system
54% agree democracy brings chaos
26% of those supporting one party disagree democracy brings
chaos
67% of those not associating democracy with chaos believe
one party is right for China
The results were consistent with those predicted. Satisfaction with life, the government, and
levels of freedom correlated with support for the single party state, while
belief in completion economically and politically correlates with support for
the concept of democracy. Party members had a higher rate or support for the
single party state, but surprisingly they did not hold radically different
feelings towards the idea of democracy than the general public. Ultimately the most interesting information
to come away with I feel is that the attitude if the Chinese public towards
their government probably will not be only, or even mostly, influenced by their
attitudes towards democracy as a concept. If the Chinese public were the most
democratically minded people on earth, this could potentially change very
little in the way the Chinese view their government.
I do have a problem with the way the author uses “democracy
will lead to chaos” as the sole indicator for support for democracy, there are
many other criticisms of democracy that one may hold without believing democracy
will lead to chaos, hence a participant who considers democracy a stable yet inefficient
system would be classified as having a pro democratic attitude in this context.
http://ppq.sagepub.com/content/18/3/337.full.pdf+html
Do you think Chinese attitudes towards democracy will change as it continues to rise?
ReplyDeleteChina is continuing to open it's borders and expand its reach, even as far as Nicaragua, (in the backyard of the US), which means it has a greater outlook, but perhaps also gives it's people more reason to look further than the CCP (or CPC).
Domestic issues such as Taiwan, Tibet, Hong Kong and Xinjiang are showing cracks in the government - they cannot control everything, and not everyone is content to be ruled by the CCP. The Hong Kong democracy issue especially shows dissatisfaction with the one party rule, but may also prove to some that the transition to democracy can indeed prove chaotic.
It's economy now sitting at #2 according to GDP purchasing power parity, and although the rate of growth is decreasing, it is still set to grow at about 7% (still v high). Will the economy help pull it's population out of poverty and perhaps increase CCP support or will it increase the gap between the filthy rich elites and those in rural areas, increasing dissatisfaction with the regime?
As the Chinese population continues to see what lies beyond it's borders, it's possible that they see some of the benefits of democracy, that it doesn't necessarily cause chaos, and that the one party system may not be the best system for China. Then again, authoritarian rule is so entrenched, any change may prove chaotic.
Good questions, Immy. Some of these trends are in accord with classic modernization theory: economic development leading to value change leading to demands for enfranchisement of currently excluded groups. But the prospect of chaos always weighs heavily on people's decisions (and not just in China); regime change always has the potential of becoming messy.
DeleteYes good question.
ReplyDeleteAnd what about the costs and social conflicts that Chinese economic development created? Isn't it reasonable to think that with a certain level of average economic development people start to question and demand for better social conditions? And with an extended view on what is going on in other countries that potential of challenging the regime within the society will grow stronger? (which implies opportunities for small democratic changes)
Good question Max.
DeleteThey already demand this, and the CCP has proven farsighted enough to respond to popular demands. But this may not prove in the long run sufficient without more formal political concessions.
Sam, thanks for the summary.
ReplyDeleteI don't know that "democracy leads to chaos" is the sole indicator of support for democracy. When you ask the question directly, most people in China say they support democracy (at least abstractly), as noted in one of the other readings for last week.