Political Participation in China: Towards a New Definition and Typology

Zhihao Ma () and Yujue Cao
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Zhihao Ma: Department of Politics and International Relations, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
Yujue Cao: Department of Politics and International Relations, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK

Social Sciences, 2023, vol. 12, issue 10, 1-23

Abstract: Political participation has become an important topic in contemporary political thinking. Western scholars’ views that reflect experiences in Western societies have become predominant theoretical articulations on political participation. This study offers a critical review of the conceptual frameworks of political participation in democratic and non-democratic societies. Drawing on previous research, it has developed a new definition and typology of political participation in China. It eschews voluntarism in the Western definition of political activities and participation to creatively propose a well-developed definition of political participation in China for which it constructs a ladder model. This study summarises Chinese political participation according to four categories: non-participation, tokenism, active participation, and radical participation. This study proposes a typology that motivates us to think of many issues, including online interactions. This study makes a much-needed contribution to the literature on the theoretical development of political participation in China.

Keywords: political participation; the Chinese Communist Party; typology; China Studies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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