Learn About China's Communist Elite

Learn about China's Communist Elite.

Jean-Philippe Béja: You have of course an economic development which makes the elite and the emerging middle class quite reach so what you can say is that you have a social group which has a vested interest with the power structure. Leila: Hi I am your host Leila for watchmojo.com a leading researcher of International Studies in China. Professor Jean-Philippe Béja helps us understand what China's communist party has come to represent and who is mostly aware of this party's activity. Jean-Philippe Béja: The communist party is of course is very present and everyone knows that it is a leading party. For example if you start in a University you know that the real powers is in the hands of the Party Secretary of the University. If you work in that office you know also that this party secretary is an important person. The thing is the party now represents the elite and very often people who want to access their elite to become part of the elite try to enter the party. Of course the condition is that they accepts the ideology and especially accept party leadership and when they will be in positions of power they will also defend the party's position. So this is how it works but everyone is aware of the party. Of course less than during Maoist's years under Mao the party controlled all fields of social life, the society and almost the private life also in order to get married you had to ask for the authorization of your production unit and the Party Secretary would allow you to get married to such and such person. Now you have the whole sphere of the private life usually is exempt from party intervention unless you are a political opponent of course. Especially if you criticize the party's power then you will feel the role of the party because you will get in trouble. So most people try to avoid it or try to enter the party.