What is the charm of China's socialist democracy?

Editor's note: Wei Chongxiao, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is a research fellow of the Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (National Academy of Governance). The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Over the past 75 years, China has continuously developed its socialist democracy, steadily advanced political reforms, and largely modernized its governance systems and capabilities.

However, some Westerners refuse to recognize China as a democracy and insist on labeling socialism with Chinese characteristics as "non-democratic" or "authoritarian" with its "one-party rule."

China does have a different political party system, but that does not make it a country with "one-party rule" or authoritarianism. The system of multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is a unique political party system rooted in China's history and reality that represents a distinct choice that differs from Western political party systems.

"Signature" of Western democracy

For a long time, Western mainstream discourse has portrayed Western party systems as the signature of democracy. Such systems center on competition and feature interactions between political parties primarily around elections for various levels of parliament and executive positions.

They did make significant contributions to the establishment of modern democracy in Western countries in their early stages, but many of their flaws have come to light in recent years.

The first is party extremism. During elections and governance, political parties increasingly rely on promoting the interests of particular factions, classes, regions, and interest groups, which results in societal division and fragmentation.

Party shortsightedness is another major problem. Ruling parties often focus on delivering on short-term promises made during elections rather than working on long-term national policies.

And don't forget party elitism. Ordinary citizens either cannot afford the high costs of election campaigns or lack the time and skills to participate in political party activities, or simply lose interest in party politics. This leaves the systems dominated by elites.

As a result, when Western countries face new challenges in economics, security, and racial equality, ruling parties fail to demonstrate the necessary insights and capabilities to address them. They cannot identify the root causes of social crises, nor present effective measures to unite society or implement sound economic and foreign policies.

Moreover, many developing countries that copied Western party systems have not necessarily embarked on the right path.

For instance, after the Arab Spring, though some Arab countries abandoned their autocratic regimes, the multi-party systems they adopted proved fragile. Political parties, divided along ethnic, cultural, and religious lines, failed to achieve consensus on national development, and were thus unwilling to accept election results or resolve issues through institutional means. As a result, political conflict and social unrest have become frequent. The Arab Spring did not bring these countries the rosy spring they had hoped for.

Western political party systems, which evolved over centuries and spread across the world, gained global traction because people believed they could provide effective governance solutions. But now, this is a myth that is crumbling.

China's indigenous political party system

When it comes to what type of political party system a country should adopt, the determining factor is its historical traditions and realities. Western political party systems do not represent a universal truth. The key to achieving democratic governance lies in exploring a political party system suited to a country's specific circumstances.

After the 1911 Revolution, China briefly experimented with Western political party systems. It turned out that neither the parliamentary multi-party system during the Beiyang government era, nor the one-party tutelage system under the Kuomintang, succeeded in resolving China's political disorder.

In 1949, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) established the system of multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the CPC leadership. Other political parties and prominent figures without party affiliation were invited to participate in governance, and this new type of political party system has since been fully implemented.

Under this system, the CPC is the core of the state and society, with its leadership and ruling status enshrined in the Constitution. This ensures that the CPC can both address immediate challenges and formulate long-term strategic plans.

For instance, in 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the CPC demonstrated remarkable mobilization and organizational capacities, ensuring the safety and livelihood of people in affected areas. At the same time, China's fight against poverty continued unabated, and by the end of 2020, China has eradicated absolute poverty for its 1.4 billion people.

Other political parties in China are not the counterparts of opposition parties in the West. Rather, they participate in governance under the leadership of the CPC. Unlike the "winner-takes-all" approach of Western democracies, the political parties in China are an integral part of China's governance institutions.

According to official statistics, since the first session of the 13th National People's Congress in 2018, over 152,000 members of other political parties and prominent figures without party affiliation have served as legislators at various levels. They participate in government, consult on key policies and leadership appointments, manage state affairs, and contribute to the formulation and implementation of laws and policies. This has avoided the mutual attacks and obstructionism often seen among Western political parties.

Through close cooperation between the CPC and other political parties, China's political party system respects the will of the majority while considering the reasonable demands of the minority. It avoids the pitfalls of Western political party systems dominated by elite groups and special interests and effectively reflects the interests and aspirations of various social groups.

Contribution to human civilization

China's political party system, a product of the Chinese people's practical exploration that suits the country's national conditions, is also a contribution to human civilization.

In terms of social cohesion, China's system emphasizes multi-party cooperation over multi-party competition typical of Western multi-party systems. Other political parties in China support the CPC's core theories, policies, and strategies and work toward common goals, thus avoiding the drawbacks of alternating party control and vicious competition.

In enhancing governance, China's political party system is predicated on the CPC leadership, preventing the frequent gridlock, indecision, and policy paralysis that characterize Western systems. This ensures that once policies are thoroughly discussed, they can be effectively implemented without being halted by opposition.

In fostering decision-making, China's political party system incorporates consultative democracy alongside electoral democracy, giving other political parties a platform to voice their opinions, exercise supervision, and offer constructive suggestions to the CPC.

In contrast, in Western multi-party systems, ruling parties often dominate once they secure a majority in parliament, leading to obstinacy and the exclusion of others. China's system effectively mitigates the risk of unchecked power and the abuse of authority by a powerful ruling party.

With 75 years of development, China's political party system has contributed to the evolution of global political party systems, offering a new model for political civilization. Meanwhile, China recognizes the diversity and complexity of democratic systems and respects the right of other countries to choose a political party system suited to their national circumstances.

Rather than an "authoritarian" state as some Westerners hype, China never seeks to impose its political party system on other countries. Mutual respect and equality is the key to fostering democratic political development globally.

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