National and Local Peoples Congresses in China The

National and Local People’s Congresses in China

The 1953 Election Law • The first election law was passed in 1953, the Electoral Law of the National People’s Congress and the Local People's Congresses at Different Levels. • Not secret ballot • The number of candidates equal to the number of seats • Elections were suspended during the cultural revolution.

A NEW START: Deng Xiaoping (first right), then Vice Premier, explains the Electoral Law at the 22 nd Meeting of the Central People's Government in Beijing on February 11, 1953 (XINHUA

The 1 st National People’s Congress, 1954 第一届全国人大一次会议的代表举手表决

The 1979 Election Law 1. Direct elections are held at the township and county levels. 2. The number of candidates should be greater than the number of seats, n > s. 3. Any 10 people can nominate a candidate.

In theory, the NPC is the highest organ of state power in China, and all four PRC constitutions have vested it with great lawmaking powers. Since the 1990 s, the NPC has become a forum for mediating policy differences between different parts of the Party, the government, and groups of society. However, it is still reckoned as a rubber-stamp for decisions already made by the state's executive organs and the Communist Party of China.

The first nay vote in the history of China’s National People’s Congress, March 28, 1988. 照片: 1988年 3月28日，人大代表黄顺兴在七届全国人大一次会议 上发表反对意见。本报记者 贺延光摄

The 11 th National People’s Congress

The 12 th Congress was held on March 5, 2013

Although there is no legal requirement for either membership in or approval by the Communist Party of China, in practice the membership of the higher people's congresses are determined by the Party. It is possible for a dedicated person to campaign for and be elected at the lowest level of people's congresses, and this occurs from time to time. However because of the series of indirect elections between the local people's congress and the NPC, it is practically impossible for a person to be elected to provincial or national people's congresses against the wishes of the Communist Party.

Local People’s Congress Elections – Independent Candidates There a small number of independent candidates for people's congress, particularly in neighborhoods of major cities, who sometimes campaign using weibos posted on the internet. Independent candidates are strongly discouraged and face government intervention in their campaigns. 中国基层人大换届中的“独立参选人”－ a Voice of American report http: //www. voachinese. com/content/article-20120103 -independentcandidate-china-136582243/792534. html

Thirteen independent candidates were suing Beijing police for harassment, December 7, 2012. 北京地方人大选举遭剥夺选举资 格的13名参选人周三到东城区法院提诉，法院至今未回覆是否 立案。

Research Questions? 1. Who are more likely to become an independent candidate? 2. What have we learned from other countries’ experiences? 3. “公安部国内安全保卫局（支队）”（简 称国保）－－FBI

The Key to Bringing Democracy to China It's naked self-interest, stupid. BY YASHENG HUANG | NOVEMBER 19, 2012 http: //www. foreignpolicy. com/articles/2012/11/19/the_key_to_bringing_ democracy_to_china

听说 I heard people said that … 希望树