The Policies of the Post-Mao Era: An Examination of the 11th Party Congress

Abstract

PARTY CONGRESSES HAVE recently been held more frequently in China, reflective of the greater political instability characterizing top party ranks after 1965. The span between the 7th 8th Party Congresses, for example, was over 11 years-from the spring of 1945 to September 1956. That between the 8th 9th Congresses was nearly 13 years, from September 1956 to May 1969. But in the aftermath of Lin Piao's purge that of his associates, a 10th Party Congress was held in August 1973, now, four years later, with many political changes having taken place through death upheaval, the 11th Party Congress has recently taken place, convened in Peking from August 12-18, 1977.1 We are told that 1,510 delegates attended the Congress, representing more than 35 million party members. The CCP has thus become the largest communist party in the world by a considerable measure, more than twice the size of the CPSU. Yet membership is still a badge of elitism since if we assume an adult population (those over 18, when they are eligible for party membership) of at least 400 million (probably a conservative estimate), party members constitute less than 9% of the adult population. Presumably, class background-together with current occupation service-continue to constitute critical criteria determining whether one can become a part of the PRC political elite. Authorities announced that among the 11th Party Congress delegates, 72.4% were from the categories of workers, peasants, soldiers, and other working