The Perfect Dictatorship: China in the 21st Century
Author | Stein Ringen |
---|---|
Language | English |
Genre | Nonfiction |
Publisher | Hong Kong University Press |
Publication date | 2016 |
Publication place | Norway |
Media type | |
Pages | 208 |
ISBN | 9888208942 |
The Perfect Dictatorship: China in the 21st Century is a 2016 book of Political Philosophy by the Norwegian sociologist Stein Ringen concerning the rule and nature of the Chinese Communist Party. In the book, he argues that the Chinese Communist Party created “a system that is unlike any other, a dictatorship that works to perfection.”[1] The book also covers the ideological transformation and social control policies that have intensified under Xi Jinping.
Synopsis
Ringen tries to question the purpose of the party-state itself and the extent and importance of ideology in Chinese governance. The basis of his observation is that China is neither an authoritarian state, and neither is it a dictatorship, the former having too soft of connotations, and the latter implying a too crude of a regime, traditionally simply in place to support the interests of a privileged class, like a class of landowners. He argues that it is a party-state – a 'controlocracy'. A system of two, intertwined bureaucracies, where the state controls society, and the party controls the state. "There is a double system of control. Control is this state’s nature. If it were not for a determination to control, there would be no rationale for the double system. And once there is a party-state, the determination to control is a given."[2]
Ringen tests three possible hypotheses to explain the possible reasoning for this control over society: the welfare state hypothesis, which assumes that the party has this vast amount of control to ideologically benefit it's citizens; the trivial state hypothesis, which says that a state constituted as a party-state has turned away from ideology and made self-preservation its purpose and a power state hypothesis, which assumes that the state and its strength exist for a higher purpose, which is defined by an official ideology. Ringen states that the Chinese state is 'trivial', with no genuine purpose except to perpetuate itself indefinitely - something he believes is likely to continue. Ringen further shows concern at the fusion of the personal and national will in nationalist ideology, propagated by the state.[3]
Reception
the book received a contentious reception from book critics and analysts.[4] It has been criticised for being unclear on what, exactly, the "perfect dictatorship" actually means, in addition to a lack of engagament with existing evidence on its key claims.[5] At the same time, it has been praised as a powerful critique of the Chinese state, as well as a poignant analysis able to generate exntensive discussion about the Chinese state.[6] Stein Ringen says: "The cold radicalism of this depiction of the Chinese regime will obviously generate criticism, disagreement, and debate. This may also be the reason why this book is essential reading."[7]
References
- ^ Ringen, Stein (2016-07-01). The Perfect Dictatorship. Hong Kong University Press. pp. viii. ISBN 978-988-8208-93-7.
- ^ Ringen, Stein (2016-07-01). The Perfect Dictatorship. Hong Kong University Press. pp. 1–5. ISBN 978-988-8208-93-7.
- ^ Ringen, Stein (2016-07-01). The Perfect Dictatorship. Hong Kong University Press. pp. 170–178. ISBN 978-988-8208-93-7.
- ^ Sempa, Francis P. (2016-12-07). ""The Perfect Dictatorship: China in the 21st Century" by Stein Ringen". Retrieved 2023-05-20.
- ^ Greitens, Sheena Chestnut (2017). "Review of The Perfect Dictatorship: China in the 21st Century". The China Quarterly (230): 529–531. ISSN 0305-7410.
- ^ Carrico, Kevin; Ringen, Stein (2017). "Review of The Perfect Dictatorship: China in the Twenty-First Century, RingenStein". The China Journal (78): 125–127. ISSN 1324-9347.
- ^ Bartel, David (2016-12-01). "Stein Ringen, The Perfect Dictatorship: China in the 21st Century,". China Perspectives. 2016 (4): 90–91. doi:10.4000/chinaperspectives.7146. ISSN 2070-3449.
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