The Chinese Communist Party’s Transition from a Revolutionary Party to a Ruling Party, 1990s−2010

Calls for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to transition from a revolutionary party to a ruling party began in the aftermath of the June 4, 1989, government crackdown on student movements, and the collapse of the USSR. These events, along with major political campaigns in Communist China up to the Cultural Revolution, were perceived as the results of revolutionary and populist movements and were widely viewed as destructive and disruptive. These developments deeply influenced conservative-leaning Chinese reformers, prompting a reevaluation of radical and revolutionary approaches to modernization.

A key representation of this gradual shift in the CCP’s approach was the changing profile of its intellectual leadership or “brainpower.” The party moved from relying on Marxist theoreticians like Hu Qiaomu to intellectuals with broader academic training, such as Wang Huning. Before joining the CCP leadership in 1995 at the age of forty, Wang was a professor of international politics at Fudan University. He advocated for an institutional developmental approach over open democracy to advance China’s economy. His perspective drew on the successful stories of China’s Asian neighbors, including Japan, South Korea, and Singapore. Today, rebuilding China’s bureaucratic infrastructure remains a top priority for the CCP, with Wang’s ideas enjoying broad endorsement within the party. This paper explores how the CCP has redefined its role, focusing on demarcating the boundaries of the state’s administrative realm. It examines the party’s bureaucratic development efforts and the growing advocacy for statism among government leaders and left-leaning public intellectuals.