Abstract
July 2011 was an important year for the Communist Party of China (CPC) as it celebrated its 90th anniversary of establishment. Since 1949, the CPC has undergone major transformations under four generations of leadership and has now seen the fifth take the reins.
From being a primarily agrarian society, China has developed to become the ‘factory of the world’. From being a small economy on the global scale, it has moved on to overtake Japan as the world’s second-largest economy. It has also proven largely resilient during the current global economic crisis. Domestically, it has lifted a large section of its population out of poverty, generated jobs and improved the living standards of the Chinese people. On the military front, too, it has moved on from being a technologically-backward army to one of the most advanced militaries in the world. However, how far does the world at large understand the functioning and structure of the CPC? How has this party managed to control dissent and create situations which favour its control over China?
The book under review sets out to answer these very questions. Its stated aim is to look into, ‘how the Party has managed to merge Marx, Mao and the market to create a global superpower and what does this mean for the world?’ The author rightly states that, ‘the Party for all the reforms in the last three decades has made sure it keeps a lock-hold on the state and three pillars of its survival strategy: control of personnel, propaganda and the People’s Liberation Army’ (p. xix). These three organs are the core to the way the CPC exerts its control over the complete apparatus. However, he also aptly states that, ‘the Party has managed to refurbish its base and build its legitimacy as a governing body, all the while hanging on tightly to the core assets of its wealth and power’ (p. 33).
The Party discusses the nuances of the CPC which have not been discussed before. It beautifully juxtaposes the developments in all the other areas (economy, military and society) with the way the Party works in China. In eight chapters, the book looks at the Party’s connections with and control over the state, business, army, regions, capitalism and history among other things. It is a thoroughly researched and a very lucidly written book on the topic. The author has conducted a large number of interviews and has used personal experiences and observations which make this book an excellent and extraordinary contribution to the existing literature.
The major focus of scholars studying China has been on economy and foreign policy. Very few scholars have attempted to study the functioning and structure of the CPC in such great detail, indicating that this is a huge exercise. The most fundamental argument of The Party is that nothing in China is outside the purview of politics. Nothing that happens within China is outside the control and influence of the CPC. Everything that happens is primarily based on the wishes of the Party. However, there is no authority to which the Party is answerable. The CPC manages and controls all dissent and corruption internally. It is the supreme authority within China as there is no organisation which can question the working and legitimacy of the CPC. On the other hand, every institution is closely monitored and controlled by the Party, whether it is the media houses, the banks, the judiciary or the army. As stated by the author, ‘The Party catches and kills—and protects—its own for good political reasons’ (p. 168). To extend this argument and to elaborate on the authority the Party enjoys, the author states that, ‘the party treats history as an issue of political management, in which the preservation of the Party’s prestige and power is paramount’ (p. 236). So it is not only power and the people which the Party controls but it also has control over the ‘minds’ and ‘memory’ of the people at large.
The book unveils the means employed by the CPC to successfully control every facet of the Chinese system. It would not be wrong to conclude that the Party in China is the system. This is rightly summed up by a quote in the book by a Beijing professor—‘The Party is like God. He is everywhere. You just can’t see him’ (p. 1). Another important observation made by the author with regard to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is that, ‘the PLA’s primary mission has always started at home—to keep the Party in power’ (p. 105).
McGregor’s work forcefully highlights the merging of the unchanging character and adaptability of the Party and how this has helped the CPC to maintain its hold on power. This book is a must read for any scholar working on China and is a very timely and important contribution to the existing literature on China. With the changing status and position of China in the global order, there is a need to understand how this country functions and The Party provides a very important insight into this aspect.