ABSTRACT
One’s understanding of the one-party system affects how one would evaluate the outcome of China’s political reform and its democratic prospects. On the one hand, the Chinese government views the one-party rule as a guarantor of political cohesion that is necessary for the promotion of reform and opening up. On the other hand, advocates of Western-style democracy regard one-party rule as a stumbling block to liberalization and democratization. Similarly, one’s position on the one-party system also affects our judgment and evaluation of the prospect for media reform, a vital part of any meaningful political reform.
