Abstract
Authoritarian leaders often claim that they promote democratic institutions such as elections and democratic values. In China, the central propaganda often promotes the right and duty of citizens to vote in local elections as well as the importance of citizens’ input into the policy making process. However, there is often a gap between government rhetoric and reality. In this article, we use the China General Social Survey (CGSS) 2013 to evaluate the determinants of voting in local elections and democratic values (attitudes) in rural and urban China. The results show that respondents with higher education tend to have lower levels of democratic values and participate less in local elections, but respondents with only compulsory education are more likely to display democratic orientations and vote. This suggests the relative success as well as the limits of authoritarian democratic propaganda.
Highlights
In 2012, during the 18th Party Congress, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) announced the “12 Core Socialist Values”, and “democracy” was near the top of the list behind “prosperity”
We examine the possible relationship between voting in grassroots elections, democratic orientations, and education within an authoritarian regime
Using the 2013 China General Social Survey (CGSS), we find that education has strong influence on both voting behavior and democratic values
Summary
In 2012, during the 18th Party Congress, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) announced the “12 Core Socialist Values”, and “democracy” was near the top of the list behind “prosperity”. Chen and Zhong (2002) argue that within an authoritarian regime people with more democratic orientations believe local elections are ineffective in replacing corrupt cadres and decide to abstain as a form of protest Both Shi (1999) and Chen and Zhong (2002) imply causality regarding the influence of democratic values on voting. We examine the possible relationship between voting in grassroots elections, democratic orientations, and education within an authoritarian regime. Using the 2013 China General Social Survey (CGSS), we find that education has strong influence on both voting behavior and democratic values. We examine the general literature on grassroots governing bodies in China as well as the relationship between voting, democratic values, and education.
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