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Palgrave Macmillan

Civil-Military Relations in Post-Deng China

From Symbiosis to Quasi-Institutionalization

  • Book
  • © 2021

Overview

Authors:
  1. Nan Li

    1. East Asian Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

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  • Contributes to the analytical literature on comparative civil-military relations

  • Allows a better and updated understanding of major change in civil-military relations in China

  • Includes implications of this change for China’s domestic politics and foreign policy, and for Asian security

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Table of contents (8 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-x
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  2. Introduction: Analytical Puzzle, Literature Review, Central Arguments, and Methodological Considerations

    • Nan Li
    Pages 1-24

  3. Evolving Functions of the Party and Political Work System in the PLA

    • Nan Li
    Pages 25-61

  4. The PLA and Intra-CCP Leadership Power Struggle in the Eras of Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping

    • Nan Li
    Pages 63-97

  5. Top Leaders and the PLA in the Post-Deng Era

    • Nan Li
    Pages 99-134

  6. Circulation of Elites Across the Civil-Military Institutional Boundaries

    • Nan Li
    Pages 135-215

  7. Explaining the Evolution of Civil-Military Relations from Symbiosis to Quasi-Institutionalization in China

    • Nan Li
    Pages 217-239

  8. Major Implications for China’s National Security, Civil-Military Cooperation, and Inter-Agency Policy Coordination

    • Nan Li
    Pages 241-268

  9. Conclusion: Institutional Changes and Possible Role of the Military in Transition to the Post-Xi Jinping Leadership

    • Nan Li
    Pages 269-288

  10. Back Matter

    Pages 289-298
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Keywords

About this book

This book demonstrates that civil-military relations have evolved beyond symbiosis to quasi-institutionalization in post-Deng Xiaoping China. 


As the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is a Leninist party-army, it is commonly assumed that the relationship between the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the PLA is symbiotic and institutional boundaries based on a clear functional division of labor are absent between the two. This symbiosis suggests that the primary role of the PLA is in China’s domestic politics; it is to participate in intra-CCP leadership power struggle and in defending the CCP regime against popular rebellions from within Chinese society. 


By analyzing major changes in the functions of the PLA political commissar system, the extent of the PLA involvement in the power struggle of the CCP leadership, and the circulation of elites across civil-military institutional boundaries, this book offers a new theoretical explanation of civil-military relations in China. It also discusses the implications of the findings for China’s domestic politics and foreign policy. 

Authors and Affiliations

  • East Asian Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore

    Nan Li

About the author

Nan Li is Visiting Senior Research Fellow at East Asian Institute, National University of Singapore. He has published extensively on Chinese security and military policy and China’s maritime development. He was a professor at the U.S. Naval War College and received a PhD in political science from the Johns Hopkins University.

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Civil-Military Relations in Post-Deng China

  • Book Subtitle: From Symbiosis to Quasi-Institutionalization

  • Authors: Nan Li

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6442-0

  • Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Singapore

  • eBook Packages: Political Science and International Studies, Political Science and International Studies (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2021

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-981-15-6441-3Published: 02 October 2020

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-981-15-6444-4Published: 03 October 2021

  • eBook ISBN: 978-981-15-6442-0Published: 01 October 2020

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: X, 298

  • Number of Illustrations: 3 b/w illustrations

  • Topics: Military and Defence Studies, Asian Politics

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