Modernization without Democratization in the Digital Age: China's Micromanagement of Its Contentious State–Society Relations

Abstract

Conventional wisdom holds that economic modernization would lead to political liberalization and, eventually, democracy. However, China has been an exception to that prediction. China's information revolution, the rapid popularization of information and communication technology (ICT) at its core, has brought two important changes to the country's state–society relations. First, the skillful diffusion of thought through ICT and the resulting openness of information have led to decentralization of information and diversification of public opinion in Chinese society. Second, savvy handling of communications through ICT has transformed the organization and forms of political mobilization and participation in Chinese politics. While China's political system is becoming increasingly unstable and repressive, it is imperative for the Chinese government to control the political outcomes of the country's dramatic economic and social transformation. Through conceptual discussions, policy analyses, and case studies, this article investigates why China's authoritarian government has been able to handle the ICT-related changes and manage the challenges generated by the country's rapidly evolving state–society relations in the digital age.