AP Government Notes 3/11/09

· The internet is taking control away from the government on the media
· The Chinese in general are good at combining cell phones with the internet
o Environmental activists sent hundreds of thousands of texts to warn the public of a chemical plant, and enough public outcry ceased construction. Street demonstrations followed and journalists were able to text bloggers for real time updates
· Political Party System: the CCP is the only party allowed in China, it is the only body that makes policy options, and it gives the appearance of unity and harmony that could be fake. Disputes have risen when leadership or policy has changed. Factionalism has risen in the highest levels of government.
· Constitution: there’re 2 major organizational hierarchies: 1) the state and government, and 2) the Communist Party. And to a lesser extent the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The first constitution was drafted in 1954, and the current constitution was drafted in 1982. It created a unitary government that would be governed by the National People’s Congress (NPC), which is the highest legislative institution. In practice the most powerful institution is the CCP 24 member Politburo, and especially the 9 member Standing Committee Politburo.
· Executive Branch: it is organized at the national level with the State Council, the Premier (who’s the head of government), the vice Premier, and ministers make up the cabinet. The cabinet’s job is to translate the decisions of the CCP into laws and decrees, and keep the government functioning.
· The Supreme People’s Court is not independent. It is responsible to the NPC.
· The Supreme People’s Procuratorate is an investigative body (similar to the FBI), and it charges rule of law secondary to rule of CCP. Citizens have to be careful if they don’t know if all the CCP decrees are laws.
· The CCP has its own constitution, created in 1982. Its hierarchy is parallel to the NPC’s, so it can supervise activities of the government, and the CCP has more authority. The National Party Congress elects the Central Committee, choosing the top leadership in the CCP Politburo. China is s democratic centralist country: before decision are made it is discussed, and when it passes everyone will agree and follow it. The individual is subject to the organizations. The President of the People’s Republic of China is the head of state. A candidate must be at least 45 years old, and he is elected for 5 year terms with a 2 term limit. Jintao is the current President, elected in March 08’. He is the head of the CCP, the President, and the head of the Central Military Commission. He’s continued the shift towards the technocrat. The Premier is the Prime Minister and the head of government. The current Premier is Wen Xhuboa. He heads the State Council and the Cabinet, translating the decisions of the CCP into laws and decrees.
· Legislative: the NPC is the strongest legislative body. Elected representatives serve for 5 year terms. The elect a Standing Committee to act when the are out of session and to supervise the State Council. The NPC is basically a rubber stamp legislative that just approves the laws that the CCP proposes. They formally elect the President, Vice President, Chairman of the Central Military Commission, the President of the Supreme People’s Court, the Chief Procurator of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, the Premier, the Vice Premier, and commissioners of the Central Military Commission.
· Bureaucracy: it is the largest bureaucracy in the world, and it is not independent. It is a major cultural and historical link between modern and historical China. In the dynasty eras bureaucrats were highly educated and had great morality, but now there’s corruption. There’re a variety of ministries, and the government could make any committee it saw fit.
· There’s no checks and balances in China. The top officials of the Politburo do disagree and they work things out.