Intra-Party Rules: Rebuilding the Chinese Communist Party’s Political Ecology

Mittelstaedt, Jean Christopher

Abstract

This article offers an in-depth analysis of intra-party rules development within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) since the Eighteenth Party Congress in 2012. Through examining fifty-three major intra-party rules, leaders’ speeches, media articles, and 9,412 punishment verdicts, the study uncovers a three-stage process aimed at revitalising the CCP and constructing a “political ecology.” The analysis identifies three stages of intra-party rules development, characterised by nascent attempts to define political–moral and organisational norms, the tension between expansion and centralisation from 2016 onwards, and a period of deepening and advancement coupled with increasing arbitrariness in enforcement. This investigation enriches our comprehension of the intricate interplay between organisation, morality, and punishment within the CCP under Xi Jinping, shedding light on broader ramifications for China's societal structure, governance, and foreign policy approach.

Citation

Mittelstaedt, J. C. (2024). Intra-Party Rules: Rebuilding the Chinese Communist Party’s Political Ecology. Journal of Current Chinese Affairs, 53(3), 507-536. https://doi.org/10.1177/18681026241247068

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 28, 2024
• Publication Date: May 8, 2024
• Deposit Date: Feb 14, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 14, 2025
• Journal: Journal of Current Chinese Affairs
• Print ISSN: 1868-1026
• Electronic ISSN: 1868-4874
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 53
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 507-536
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/18681026241247068
• Keywords: Chinese Communist Party, intra-party rules, political ecology, norms, discipline
• Publisher URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/18681026241247068