Political Selection in China: Rethinking Foundations and Findings

Political selection is crucial for governance quality, with democratic elections being the preferred institution. However, authoritarian China presents a successful contrast with its communist party monopolizing the selection of officials. Understanding how the preferences of the few in Beijing shape the actions of tens of thousands of leaders is essential for understanding China. This Element critically reviews the literature on political selection in China and identifies challenges in statistical studies and qualitative evidence.

Format: Unspecified
Length: 75 pages
Publication date: 23 November 2023
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Political selection is a crucial process that shapes the quality of governance. It determines how individuals are chosen to hold political office, which in turn has a significant impact on the effectiveness and efficiency of government. The evidence overwhelmingly supports democratic elections as the selection institution that yields high governance quality. Democratic elections allow for the participation of the people, the expression of diverse opinions, and the promotion of accountability and transparency. They provide a mechanism for selecting leaders who are representative of the interests and values of the population, which leads to better decision-making and more effective governance.

However, authoritarian China presents a sophisticated and, by some measures, successful contrast to liberal democratic versions of political selection. In China, a communist party monopolizes the selection of all officials of importance, including the president, prime minister, and other senior leaders. This centralized system of selection ensures that the party maintains control over the government and its policies. While authoritarian China may have achieved economic growth and stability, it has come at the cost of political freedom and civil liberties. The preferences of the few at the political center in Beijing systematically shape the composition and actions of the tens of thousands of leaders who manage politics, society, and the economy across China.

Understanding how and how much the preferences of the few at the political center in Beijing systematically shape the composition and actions of the tens of thousands of leaders who manage politics, society, and the economy across China is foundational to understanding China. This Element critically reviews the literature on political selection in China to better structure our knowledge on this important question. It clarifies sources of greatly disparate findings in statistical studies and identifies major descriptive challenges to these studies in rich qualitative and quantitative evidence.

In conclusion, political selection is a critical aspect of governance that determines the quality of government. Democratic elections are widely recognized as the selection institution that produces high governance quality. However, authoritarian China presents a unique challenge to this notion. By monopolizing the selection of officials, the communist party in China ensures that its preferences systematically shape the composition and actions of the tens of thousands of leaders who manage politics, society, and the economy across the country. Understanding how and how much the preferences of the few at the political center in Beijing systematically shape the composition and actions of the tens of thousands of leaders who manage politics, society, and the economy across China is foundational to understanding China.

Weight: 142g
Dimension: 150 x 228 x 10 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781009327114