my response so far, perfect it, humanize it completely, and research more making sure all evidence i ...
my response so far, perfect it, humanize it completely, and research more making sure all evidence is real and substantial, fix in text citation to MLA format, follow all direction strictly, send final response with an AI and plagiarism report from turn it in : China does not have a fully institutionalized democracy. While certain formal structures, such as village elections, exist, they do not fulfill the characteristics of institutionalized democratic norms as described in the textbook. Instead, China’s political system prioritizes centralized authoritarian control under the Communist Party of China (CPC). To institutionalize democracy, significant reforms in legitimacy, capacity, and decentralization would be necessary. Institutions are defined as "organizations or activities that are self-perpetuating and valued for their own sake" (O’Neil 20). Democracy in China, however, remains weakly institutionalized because it is neither self-perpetuating nor widely valued within the framework of the single-party state. According to the textbook, democracy becomes institutionalized when it embodies norms and values considered central to people’s lives and commands legitimacy (O’Neil 20). In China, the Communist Party’s dominance suppresses political competition, public participation, and dissent, limiting democratic practices. Although village-level elections exist, they serve primarily as a mechanism to manage local governance rather than promote pluralism. Reports indicate that these elections are often marred by bribery and lack of transparency. For instance, the BBC reported that "the cost of buying a vote in China's village elections has increased by up to 100 times," highlighting the prevalence of vote-buying and the use of "witches or fortune tellers" to influence voters ("China Village Elections: Witchcraft and Vote-Buying"). China’s political legitimacy is primarily built on a combination of traditional and rational-legal legitimacy. The CPC invokes historical narratives of revolutionary struggle and national unity, which reinforce traditional legitimacy. At the same time, its administrative efficiency and economic achievements bolster rational-legal legitimacy, as it demonstrates a high level of state capacity (O’Neil 47). However, this legitimacy does not extend to democratic processes. For democracy to take root, the CPC would need to loosen its control over political institutions and allow free and fair elections at higher levels of government. Additionally, decentralization of power, as discussed in the textbook under federalism and devolution, could enable regions to exercise more autonomy, addressing local governance challenges and fostering public trust (O’Neil 47–48). However, recent developments indicate a trend toward increased centralization. The Wall Street Journal reported that Chinese leader Xi Jinping is consolidating control over China's financial sector, purging experienced international bankers and replacing them with loyal functionaries aligned with Communist Party directives (Wei and Davis). The "stickiness" of institutions, as described in the textbook, is another obstacle to democratic reform. The CPC’s deeply entrenched authority exemplifies the idea that "institutions are embedded in how we see the world and what we think is valuable and important, making them difficult to change or eliminate" (O’Neil 20). To develop democracy, informal norms of political suppression would need to shift toward values of political accountability and public representation. Furthermore, as the textbook emphasizes, legitimacy must shift from coercion to consent, with citizens viewing democratic institutions as indispensable and self-sustaining (O’Neil 20). However, recent actions by the CPC suggest a tightening grip on power. According to the Associated Press, "Xi has made himself effectively leader for life by ending term limits and extending his power over key government and party bodies" ("Xi Extends His Power Over China"). This consolidation of power indicates a move away from democratic norms and further entrenches authoritarian control. China’s current political system lacks institutionalized democracy due to the dominance of the Communist Party, which prioritizes centralized control over pluralism and public participation. While China demonstrates strong state capacity and rational-legal legitimacy, democratic norms remain underdeveloped and weakly institutionalized. For democracy to emerge and stabilize, reforms must promote competitive elections, decentralize power, and cultivate public trust in democratic processes. Without such changes, democracy in China will remain absent or vulnerable to instability. Works Cited "China Village Elections: Witchcraft and Vote-Buying." BBC News, 23 July 2010, www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-10722684. O’Neil, Patrick H. Essentials of Comparative Politics. 8th ed., W. W. Norton, 2023. Wei, Lingling, and Bob Davis. "China Banking Purge Replacements Signal Xi Jinping’s Control." The Wall Street Journal, 1 Feb. 2024, www.wsj.com. "Xi Extends His Power Over China." Associated Press, 11 Mar. 2018, www.apnews.com. directions: This Discussion Board covers the readings in Chapters 1 and 2. With your chosen country in mind, please answer the following questions: What country did you choose to focus on and why? Is democracy institutionalized in this country? If YES... Has its level of institutionalization changed over time, and how difficult would it be to deinstitutionalize democracy? What formal structures support its institutionalization? If NO... What sorts of structures would need to be implemented to support the development of democracy? Note: Answers will vary but should incorporate key characteristics of judging whether something is “institutionalized” as presented in the textbook. (The "In Focus" box on page 21 should be helpful.) REQUIREMENTS FOR ORIGINAL RESPONSES: a clear thesis statement, which directly addresses the question posed and gives readers an indication of the argument you plan to make; a coherent paragraph structure that emphasizes the main points of your argument and college-level English; and, a succinct concluding paragraph. In other words, your posts should always be at least three paragraphs in length: 1) introduction, 2) body paragraph, 3) conclusion. direct reference to the text and/or PowerPoint slides Part of what I want to see in these posts is evidence of reading the text and understanding the concepts, and the ability to apply them to a real-world situation. Please make every effort to illustrate your comprehension of the reading materials, which includes making direct references to the assigned readings. a body of factual examples that support your thesis and develop your argument; these examples should be drawn from the assigned readings and properly cited sources researched independently by the student; The discussion board requires outside research. This means that in addition to reading and referencing the text, you will need to read the news from a major international media source, such as the BBC or the New York Times. Wikipedia, Encyclopedia Britannica, and other non-academic sources are not allowed. If you are unsure of the reliability of a source, please reach out to Dr. Gabler before using it. You MUST use the textbook and at least one outside source in this discussion board. Failure to substantially and significantly source to these sources will assure a grade no higher than D.
