FSS-DGPA seminar: The Personnel Foundation of a Single-Party Legislature: The Political Selection and Lawmaking in China’s National People’s Congress Standing Committee
Speaker: Dr. Zhenhuan LEI, Ph.D. in Political Science, New York University
Date：27 Aug 2024 (星期二)
Time：15:00 – 16:30
Venue: E21B-G002
Abstract: Who becomes lawmakers in single-party regimes? Although existing theories of authoritarian legislature offer different perspectives, empirical analysis rarely tests their implications for the political selection of legislators. To understand which theory best describes the selection of the members of China’s National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC), we collect original data on members of the NPCSC and compare them with the members of a government advisory body, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conferences Standing Committee, which does not legislate or make government appointments (or perform any other powers reserved for a legislature) but enjoys the similar political prestige as the NPCSC. The comparison allows us to disentangle the types of people that, in the eyes of the Chinese Communist Party leaders, are fit for the legislature rather than an advisory body. Our analysis shows that the Chinese leadership prefers to put loyal (CCP members and high-ranking officials) and competent (young and well-educated) officials into the NPCSC. However, they have less experience related to their committee assignment than their counterparts.
