Research on the Relationship Between the Foundational Economy and Superstructure Transformation in China

Author: Chen Rongrong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-03-01
Features: This book reviews the history of political system reform. It argues that although the necessity and urgency of political system reform are widely recognized, this does not constitute the real driving force for reform. The reason lies in the fact that, after the reform and opening-up, China has only gradually achieved economic socialization, meaning that economic power has been decentralized to the broader society, allowing more people to participate. However, political socialization has far from been realized, failing to establish the necessary interest connections between grassroots social organizations and the superstructure. In other words, political system reform itself has received excessive attention, while broader political participation at a wider level has been intentionally or unintentionally neglected. Therefore, an effective way to break the control of power over society and the politicization of social life is not merely top-down institutional innovation, but more importantly, bottom-up political participation.