Author: Jiang Jinsong
Language: English
ISBN/ISSN: 9787119031330
2003; Hardcover;160*240mm;560pages

The National of China is approaching its 50th anniversary since its birth in 1954.As China' highest organ of state power the NPC's circumstances and fate visually embodies the swing of the pendulum of the democratic life of the Chinese people.
This book is the first English book on the NPC model written by a Chinese political scholar. It consists of four parts with twenty-three chapters. Part one briefly reviews the history of the Chinese political system from the Xia dynasty through the formation of the Republic of China, pointing out cultural patterns that have affected the NPC system. Part two explains the NPC system as set down in the 1954 Constitution and argues that the destruction inflicted upon the NPC during the "cultural revolution" period amounted to a disaster for both the Communist Party of China and the Chinese people. Part three displays in thick and heavy colors the reforms made to the NPC system under the 1982 Constitution. It shows a comprehensive picture of the refurbished NPC system with its elections, its powers and functions within the national power structure, its internal organization, its legislative procedure, its decision powers and processes, its discretion over the personnel of the other constitutional branches, its oversight powers and activities, its special committees, its relations with political parties, its Deputies and Members, its relations with the public and the media,its space, time, funding and staff, its relations with local people's congresses and its relations with foreign legislatures. The purpose is to accurately depict the actual operation of the NPC system with fresh materials.Part four generalizes major features of the NPC system model, justifies the model from historical, international and domestic perspectives, discusses its strengths and offers criticisms on its shortcomings.

Table of Contents


Preface
PART I BACKGROUND
CHAPTER 1 POLITICAL SYSTEM OF ANCIENT CHINA
A. Burgeoning of Absolute Monarchy during the Pre-Qin Times
1. Democracy in the Primitive Society
2. Kingship in the Xia and Shang Dynasties
3. Claims for Absolute Monarchy during the Spring and Autumn
Period and the Warring States Period
B. Establishment of Absolute Monarchy during the Qin Dynasty
1. Powers of the Emperor
2. Central Government Institutions
3. Political Belief
C. Entrenchment of Absolute Monarchy in the Tang Dynasty
1. Understanding of the Emperor's Power
2. Well-arranged Central Government Institutions
3. Weakening of Prime Ministership in Favor of Emperorship
4. Rule with Law
D. Last Shape of the Absolute Emperorship in the Ming-Qing
Dynasties
1. Pursuit of Absolute Emperorship by a Leaders of Farmers and a
Minority Nationality
2. Central Government Structure of the Ming and Qing Dynasties
3. Emperor's Powers without the Limit of Representative Institution
CHAPTER 2 THE OLD DEMOCRATIC REVOLUTION（1842-1949）:
A TURN TOWARD REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY
A. Western Representative Democracy Comes to China
1. ThePioneers and Their Message
2. Theof Western Constitutional Systems
3. Finding a Chinese Way
B. The 1911 Revolution
1. The Armed Constitutional Revolution
2. The Major Results of the Revolution
C. Defending the Revolution
1. Defeating a Restoration of the Qing Dynasty
2. Defeating a Restoration of an Absolute Monarchy
3. Defeating the Dictatorial Warlords
D. The Central Government Structures under the Kuomintang Regimq
1. Sun Yatsen's Constitutional Views
2. The Central Government Structure during the Training Stage of the Founding Period
3. The Central Government Structure for the Constitutional Stage of the Founding Period
4. Nationalist Party Relationships
CHAPTER 3 MARXIST CONSTITUTIONAL THEORY, EXPERIENCE AND PRACTICE IN CHINA BEFORE 1954
A. Marxist Constitutional Theory
I. Marxist Views about Western Representative Government
2. Marxist Advocacy for Socialist Representative Government
B. The Soviet Union's Constitutional Experience
1. The Formal National Constitutional Structure
2. The Actual Exercise of Constitutional Powers
C The Communist Constitutional Practice in China before 1954
1, The Constitutional Theory of the Communist Party of China
2. Initial Constitutional Practices under the Communist Party of China
3. Refinements to China's Constitutional Principles
PART II FOUNDING AND TRIAL
CHAPTER 4 NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS UNDER THE CONSTITUTION OF 1954
A. The Purpose of the Constitution
B. Forming the Constitution
1. Preparation
2. Actors in the Process
3. Steps in the Formulation
C. Major Contents of the Constitution
1. State Composition
2. Constitutional Form
3. Constitutional Principle
D. The National People's Congress under the Constitution
1. Electoral System
2. Constitutional Powers
3. Congressional Privileges
4. Congressional Structure
5. Congressional Term and Sessions
CHAPTER 5
TROUBLED SAILING FOR THE NPC （1954-1976）
A. Taking Shape in the Beginning Years （1954-1965）
1. Communist Leadership over the NPC
2. Powers Exercised by the NPC
3. Institutionalization of the NPC
B. Critical Issues in the Begining Years
1. Attacks on Communist Leadership
2. Challenges to the Democratic Centralism
C. Displacement during the "Great Cultural Revolution"（1966-1976）
1. A Question of Survival for the NPC
2. A Disabled NPC
3. Challenges from the "Great Cultural Revolution"
PART III REFORM
CHAPTER 6
OVERALL CHANGE AND REFORM OF THE NPC
A. Overall Change （Guiding Ideology）
B. Which Way to Lead
1. Why not Capitalism
2. Why still Socialism
C. What Is the Essence of Socialism
1. Economic Characteristics
2. Political Characteristics
3. Cultural Characteristics
D. How to Build Socialism in China
1. Distinguishing the Essentials of Socialism
2. The Initial Stage of Socialist Progress
3. Economic Construction as the Central Task
4. Reform Mentality
5. Refurbishing the Communist Party
6. Institutionalizing Democracy
7. The Importance of Stability
E. Reforming the NPC
1.Purposes of the Reform
2.Manifestations of the Reform
3.Contents of the Reform
4.The Uniqueness of the Reformed NPC
CHAPTER 7
ELECTING DEPUTIES TO THE NPC FULL CONGRESS
AND OF MEMBERS OF THE NPC STANDING COMMITTEE
A. Characteristics of the Electoral System for NPC Deputies
1. No Incompatibility
2. Considerations Affecting Representativeness
3. Indirect Election
4. Leadership by the Communist Party
5. No Election Campaign
6. State Financing
7. Recall as Part oftbe Electoral System
B. Electoral Units and Voters
C. Candidates
D. Election Principles
E. Steps to Election
1. Preparation
2. Consultation over Candidates List
3. Election
F. Electing Members of the NPC Standing Committee
1. Characteristics
2. Indirect Election
3. Election under the Leadership of the Party
4. No Election Campaign
5. State Financing
6. Candidates
7. Election Procedures
G. Election Results
1. A General Picture of the 9th NPC Full Congress
2. Comparing Two Delegations of the 9th NPC Full Congress
3. Composition of the 9th NPC Standing Committee
H. Comments
1. Success
2. General Criticism
3. Clarifying the Requisites for Reform
4. Reform Specifics
CHAPTER 8
THE NPC IN CHINA'S CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT
A. Communist Party Leadership over the State
1. Party in the Place of Government Prior to 1987
2. Dividing Functions between the Party and the Government after 1987
3. Leadership over or within the NPC
B. The State President
1. The Evolving Institution
2. Election and Term
3. Power and Function
4. Status