Russia & ChinaA Comparison

Similarities:

• Both are C/PC (communist/post-communist) countries.

• Both have huge bureaucracies that have hindered reform (especially in the past)

• Both had to reform and restructure their bureaucracies in the 1980s.

Similarities:• Both had similar communist revolutions

(Soviet Union-1917, China-1949):– Violent – “cult of personality” tactics (Lenin & Mao)– Economies were agricultural and non-industrial.

• Both have a long history of authoritarian rule– (Czars in Russia, Emperors in China)

• Both tried to allow criticism of gov’t. at some point. Both attempts backfired:– China: Mao’s “Hundred Flowers” campaign in

1957. He was forced to crackdown.– Soviet Union: Glasnost (openness) in 1980s. Led

to eventual breakup of S.U.

Similarities:

• Both had Nomenklatura for political recruitment (China still does).

• Both had similar party structure (when S.U. still existed):– General Secretary, Politburo, Central

Committee, Party Congress

Differences:• Population Growth:

– Russia: decreasing– China: overpopulation still a problem despite one-

child only policy.

• Transition to Market Economy (Capitalism):– Russia: disastrous because they went too fast

(shock therapy) and because Russia had more of an urban population.

– China: successful because it’s been a gradual change and China had a more rural population. Also, China didn’t allow political freedoms - basically they copied Perestroika, but not Glasnost.

Differences:

• Ethnic minority groups:– Russia: ethnic and nationality divisions are

significant in politics (even more so during the Soviet years).

– China: not significant. 92% of population are ethnic Han, so minorities are a relatively small portion of population. They are also geographically isolated.

Differences:

• Parliaments:– Russia: State Duma has some power.– China: National People’s Congress has no

real power and discusses action already taken by CCP.