China

How is power divided?

The most recent and current edition of the constitution of the People's Republic of China outlines a division of power among three bodies: the People's Liberation Army, the Communist Party of China, and the State Council. Each entity has their separate place in the system. The CCP deals with the political decisions of the state, the State Council acts as the primary administrative body, and the PLA serves as the military branch. Each branch is separate and has their own separate jobs. However, because the constitution names the CCP as the sole political party of the state and the party has all legal power in the government each branch is very intertwined with Party members. Essentially the constitution divides the power but reconciles it all in the CPP to create a one-party state with a strong and stable central government.



How does one gain power?

Due to the strength of the single party system in China, gaining vast amounts of power is not as hard as in other less centralized governments. To gain power in China one must first be elected to the National People's Congress. This is the basic level of national governing power in China apart from local governance. As a large body, 3,000 members, an individual has little power. However, there exists a hierarchy in the CCP that allows an individual to gain copious amounts of power. The highest tier is the Politburo Standing Committee. This is a 9 member committee and the most powerful decision making body in the Party. While this is only a Party matter, the single Party has so much power in the government that each member of this elite committee has lots of power and influence. In each branch there exists a similar hierarchy through which an individual can work their way, usually with the help of bribes, to the top.



The political system:

China's political system is technically a socialist government, but they allow an open market economy in addition to their state owned businesses and industries. They have a constitution that divides power, yet also grants all the political power to a single party, the CCP. With  a large majority of both the country and the politicians members of the CCP, they have a lot of power and the government is very strong and centralized. While issues may arise with regards to human rights violations and human needs, the government is very effective on account of its lack of slow and cumbersome discourse. The rights and opportunities of China's citizens are limited compared to democracies around the world, but they aren't as limited when compared to more oppressive and authoritative regimes.

Define externality

ex·ter·nal·i·ty

noun/ˌekstərˈnalitē/

externalities, plural

1. A side effect or consequence of an industrial or commercial activity that affects other parties without this being reflected in the cost of the goods or services involved, such as the pollination of surrounding crops by bees kept for honey
2. The fact of existing outside the perceiving subject