Communism Redefined: the Internet and Social Change in China

Confucius Institute at Texas A&M University

Communism Redefined:the Internet and Social Change in

China

Randy KluverConfucius Institute

Texas A&M University


Main objectives Discuss China’s recent political

changes, and the accompanying changes in media

Discuss the role of the Internet in social and political change in China

Discuss the future of the Internet in China


Recent political transition 1980’s and 90’s-from “politics in command”

to “economics in command” Breakdown of central government control,

towards regional and local officials Dramatic changes in society and culture have

made politics less important, to most Chinese Commercialization and proliferation of media

have changed the priorities of the press. New media outlets have altered the dynamics

of news production.


China’s Internet Growth


China and the Internet: 3 sets of goals

Economic goals Cultural goals Political goals


Economic goals of IT:1. Early 80s: development of

information strategies2. Goal: to double IT sector by 2005

5% of GDP3. IT as critical element of economic

integration into global community4. Development of E-Commerce


Cultural goals in IT1. Globalization of Chinese

culture2. Using “new media” to

advance new media agenda in global portrayal of China

3. Internet and “Advanced culture”-use Internet to remake Chinese culture with a technological logic


Political/Governmental goals for IT

1.1. Inversion of traditional emphasis on politicsInversion of traditional emphasis on politics ““economics in command”economics in command”

2.2. Reinforce Party line through new propaganda Reinforce Party line through new propaganda channelschannels

3.3. Strengthen integrity and responsiveness of the Strengthen integrity and responsiveness of the Party (E-government) Party (E-government) Overcome endemic corruptionOvercome endemic corruption Strengthen central controlStrengthen central control Overcome problems of geographical dispersionOvercome problems of geographical dispersion Golden ProjectsGolden Projects

4. Strengthen legitimacy of CCP4. Strengthen legitimacy of CCP CCP as guarantor of economic growthCCP as guarantor of economic growth Legitimation by technical achievementLegitimation by technical achievement


The political control of the Internet

1. Direct mechanisms:• Raids on cybercafes, arrest of “Internet

dissidents.”• “Kill the monkey to scare the chicken”

2. Indirect mechanisms, including Great Firewall: national intranet- Self Censorship and regulation of ISPs Ambitious network of Chinese sites


Presumptions of political change through technology

Giddens: “the spread of democracy…has been strongly influenced in the recent period by the advance of global communications.”

De Sola Pool, “technologies of freedom” Locke: “the Internet invents new forms of

democratic activity” Clinton, “like nailing jello to the wall.” Albright, “It is now impossible to have a

hermetically closed information system.”


The arguments for democratization

“free flow of information” argument “inherent characteristics” argument “Integration” argument “Civil Society/ Social sphere”

argument


What have we learned about the “democratization thesis?”

Polls show that most Chinese believe that some governmental control over the Internet is necessary, and willingly accept it.

Availability of information doesn’t change basic predisposition towards government.

Although Internet does make it easier for dissidents to spread their message, it has not prompted political movements.

“Entertainment superhighway,” instead of information superhighway.


Who is using the Internet in China?


The Internet and education


Internet cafés in China What we think they

are like:

What they are really like:


The Internet and E-government China’s investment in e-government is

unprecedented among developing nations, with an investment of at least one trillian yuan ($121 billion US), and is growing at about 40% per year.

E-gov has primarily been an outgrowth of advanced economies with two key purposes, improve services to citizenry and cost savings

e-government is ‘material that would aid an average citizen logging onto a governmental site,’ including information, services, and databases.


China’s goals in E-gov to add stability and order to a chaotic

governing process and social change, to reestablish the control of the

governing authorities, Improving the quality of surveillance and

data gathering, and hence policy-making, the elimination of corruption, the re-legitimation of the Communist

Party of China.


China’s governing context Governing “crisis” is driven by at least

three key factors Renegotiation of most aspects of social and

political life, as economic growth contributes to individual changes in lifestyles and loss of governmental regulation in many areas of life.

Crisis of confidence in CCP due to corruption and ineffectiveness.

“structural disincentives for telling the truth,”• And yet, good information is absolutely critical in

good governance.


The promises of e-government China sees many of the same

promises of e-government as other governments around the world. Linking to the citizen Providing citizens with important

information Improving governmental processes


Strengthening the government To “strengthen the center”

To bring rationalization and normalization to citizen-gov interactions, where these are currently in disarray

‘ e-government shall help to transform the function of government, enhance its working efficiency and supervision effectiveness, and provide better services to citizens so as to adapt to the changes brought about by reform and opening-up and meet up with the newly-emerging requirements of modernization’. Nat’l Informatization Steering group.

Zhu Rongji: “to transform government in terms of management systems, management values, management patterns, and management methods’


Eliminating corruption High profile campaigns to eliminate corruption

have been notoriously ineffective in eliminating a culture of corruption.

Direct strategies of establishing “reporting corruption” abilities via egov.

Indirect strategy is perhaps more effective, in that, it minimizes possibility of lower level deception.

Golden tax project as an example of eliminating corruption in restaurants.

Xinhua argues that cheating has declined, but is this evidence of effectiveness, or of finding ways around it?


Removing ability to distort information

Minimize the possibility of distortion of information up the hierarchy ‘ the pace of constructing an uncorrupted,

diligent, practical and efficient government . . . so as to maintain the stability of economic and social development’ Nat’l Informatization Steering group

Snellen (2003) argues that e-government dis-empowers “street level bureaucrats,” and takes over decision making powers

Golden Sea Project: to link up all information from ministries under central control, so that top decision makers have direct access to information.

Examples include taxes, customs, etc


The paradox of e-government Using technological means to address non-

technological problems. China’s governing problems are better understood as

cultural and institutional. Using technological means to establish, rather

than refine and improve, governing relations. Thus, untested assumptions built into the system.

The architecture that has been designed gives tremendous oversight ability to the central authorities, but almost none to citizens.


Conclusions China’s relationship to the Internet is far

more positive than normally assumed. China’s Internet accompanies

widespread social changes, but does not precipitate political unrest.

China’s Internet definitely links their citizens more closely with the outside world, but doesn’t necessarily help the outside world better understand China.

Communism Redefined: the Internet and Social Change in China

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