Pekingology Fragmented Authoritarianism in Xi's China
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Dec 12, 2024 Jessica Teets, a Professor at Middlebury College and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Chinese Political Science, dives into the complexities of China's governance under Xi Jinping. She discusses the concept of fragmented authoritarianism and its implications for local governance. Teets highlights the central government's increasing control, the struggles local officials face, and the impacts of digitization. The conversation also touches on how Xi's centralization efforts affect policymaking and what this means for China's future amid ongoing reforms.
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Fragmented Authoritarianism
- Fragmented authoritarianism describes China's governance as divided and stratified, not a unified hierarchy.
- This fragmentation is intentional, preventing any single entity from accumulating excessive power.
Pros and Cons of Fragmentation
- Fragmented authority hinders any single actor from gaining too much power, promoting stability.
- It fosters discretion at local levels, enabling flexibility but also leading to inconsistencies and corruption.
Why "Fragmented"?
- The term "fragmented" highlights the unclear and overlapping authorities in Chinese governance.
- This ambiguity leads to bargaining and shifting responsibilities among different actors.