INTS 261 Government and Politics of China

A study of the political system of the People’s Republic of China that was established in 1949, including an examination of the three centers of power (party, government, and military), ideology, leadership, political change, provincial and local governments, and domestic challenges facing China today. The Chinese political system is assessed as a unique communist authoritarian system and one that is changing due to rapid economic development. The key questions that we will address for this course are as follows. Why and how was the communist People’s Republic of China established? What are the roles played by the party, the military, the central government, and the local governments in contemporary Chinese politics, and how do they interact with one another? What is the relationship between China’s politics and its economy? Who are/were the major political leaders in China since 1949, and how do/did they rule China? What are the most important political, economic, and social challenges facing China today, and what has the Chinese government been doing about them?