Concepts for Reforming the Political System

Abstract

Already in a relatively early period of the reform process that started in 1979, the Chinese party and government leaders had come to the conclusion that the “four modernizations” and the radical transformation of the economic system could not be successfully completed without a thorough reform of the systems of party and government leadership, that is, if reform of the economic system was not accompanied by reform of the political system. This idea was first formulated by Deng Xiaoping in August 1980, at the extended session of the PB of the 11th CC, in his speech entitled “On the reform of the system of party and state leadership.” Besides listing the gravest deficiencies of the established political system, in this speech Deng Xiaoping outlined the main directions for reforming the system and its most important steps, emphasizing that the reform could be realized only as a result of deliberate and consistent efforts over a long period. In its course the resistance of a considerable number of party and government cadres would certainly have to be fought, and their resistance would take the most diverse forms.