"Defining Democracy in China," with Bruce Dickson

The conventional wisdom among China watchers is that political reform in China has not kept pace with the wide-ranging economic reforms of the past few decades. China remains a classic example of a one-party authoritarian regime. However, most people in China believe the country is increasingly democratic, that it is already at least somewhat democratic, and are satisfied with the current level of democracy. How can that be? The answer to this puzzle begins with how democracy is defined. Knowing how people define democracy helps explain how democratic they think China is and whether they are satisfied with the level of democracy they currently have. 

 

Bruce Dickson is professor of political science and international affairs and director of the Sigur Center for Asian Studies at the George Washington University. His research examines the political consequences of economic reform in China, the Chinese Communist Party’s evolving strategy for survival, and the changing relationship between state and society. Research for this talk was made possible by grants from the National Science Foundation and the Smith Richardson Foundation.

 

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