This book focuses on the evolution of technocracy in contemporary Chinese politics and its implications in China’s elite politics and policymaking. The rise of technocracy in contemporary Chinese politics is not only attributed to the meritocratic tradition based on civil service exams in ancient China but also tied to the current authoritarian political system that relies on the top-down cadre promotion approach instead of public elections. Leaders with technocratic backgrounds have brought changes to China’s political landscape since technocrats tend to solve governance issues using technical solutions in an industrialized society as compared to pure politicians and revolutionaries, who are inclined to resort to political, and sometimes populist, options. This book examines the specific tech areas from which top technocrats have been emerging in Chinese politics, which include military and aerospace industry, public health, engineering and science, economics and finance, as well as information technology. It is a unique research monograph based on research on China’s evolving technocracy and its political, economic and international implications that provides a detailed and thorough study of the country’s industrial policies being reshaped by these technocrats and their likelihood of joining the Chinese Communist Party’s top echelon in the next five to ten years.
Author(s): Gang Chen
Publisher: Springer
Year: 2023
Language: English
Pages: 127
City: Singapore
Contents
List of Figures
List of Tables
1 Introduction
1.1 New Technocratic Trends in China and the World
1.2 Comparison of Technocracy in Authoritarian and Democratic Systems
1.3 Impacts Upon Domestic Governance and International Relations
References
2 Evolution of Technocracy in P.R. China
2.1 Mao’s Era
2.2 Technocracy in Deng, Jiang and Hu’s Time
2.3 Technocracy in Xi’s Era
2.4 Implications of Reviving Technocracy
References
3 Rising Stars from Strategic Industries
3.1 China’s 20th Party Congress
3.2 The Rise of the “Aerospace Clique”
3.3 Technocrats in Other Industries
3.4 An Expanding Techno-security Concept
3.5 The Limits of Chinese Technocracy
References
4 Technocracy and Future Leadership Succession
4.1 Models of Chinese Elite Politics
4.2 Technocracy Versus Xi-in-Command: A New Model of Career Advancement
4.3 Technocrats in Future Power Reshuffling
References
5 Domestic and International Implications
5.1 Domestic Political Implications
5.2 Economic Implications and the Rise of Military–Industrial Complex
5.3 Self-Reliance and Inward-Looking Policies
5.4 International Implications
References
6 Discussion and Conclusion: Technocracy and the Future of CCP
6.1 Authoritarian Resilience
6.2 Elite Politics and Succession Issue
6.3 China’s Military–Industrial-Technological Complex
6.4 Security Dilemma
References
Index
