Xi Jinpingâs thinking is ranked alongside Maoâs
Mr Xi
THE constitution of the Chinese Communist Party defines what it means to be a party member and lists the organisationâs core beliefs. On October 24th a new principle was added to it: âXi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Eraââquite a mouthful. Xinhua  a government news agency  said the change was approved at the end of a weeklong party congress  an event that takes place every five years. Party leaders had been parroting the cumbersome phrase for several days since Mr Xi  who is the partyâs general secretary as well as president  first mentioned it (albeit without his own name attached) on the opening day of the gathering. Bill Bishop  an American China-watcher  says he writes it as XJPTSCCNE âto avoid getting carpal tunnel syndromeâ.
Talk of theory and whether someone is named in a document might sound recondite. But this has huge implications because it invests  Mr Xi  with more power than any Chinese leader since Mao Zedong. He is the first living leader to be mentioned in the partyâs charter since Mao. Deng Xiaopingâs name is also in the constitution but this was an honour accorded him only after he died in 1997.  Mr Xi âs two predecessors  Hu Jintao and Jiang Zemin  are not named. Moreover   Mr Xi âs thinking uses the same term in Chinese ( sixiang ) as the one in Mao Zedong Thought. Deng in contrast contributed only a âtheoryâ ( lilun )  a less elevated term. No one can have more ideological authority than  Mr Xi . The person has become the party in a way China has not seen since Mao.
 Mr Xi  has made influential enemies during  his  first five years as party chief  notably the allies and clients of the hundreds of influential officials  he  has had arrested for corruption.  He  has also complained repeatedly that officials lower down the bureaucracy are stymying  his  orders. This could change  because to oppose  him  now would be regarded more than ever as opposition to the party itself. In principle  it could make decision-making in China smoother. But it raises the risk that underlings will tell  Mr Xi  only what they think  he  wants to hear  and increase the chances of bad policymaking.
It also makes the question of the succession moot. By precedent  the general secretary should serve two five-year terms. Mr Xiâs run out in 2022. Under the rules that used to govern Chinese politics   he  would be expected to signal  his  choice of successor at a meeting of the Central Committee that is due to be held on October 25th. The candidate would normally be in the new Politburo Standing Committee  or inner sanctum of politics  that will be unveiled after the brief gathering. Rumours are rife that Wang Qishan  the chief graft-buster and close ally of  Mr Xi   has been dropped from the Central Committee  and therefore will not be included in the new line-up. There had been speculation that  Mr Xi  might keep  him  in place  even though  he  has passed the normal retirement age of 68.
It is not clear how much it matters now who is chosen to succeed  Mr Xi   or whether  he  has anyone in mind. With  his  name in the constitution   he  must be the ultimate arbiter of authority as long as  he  is alive  since  he âalong with Marx  Lenin  Mao and Dengâdefines what it is to be a good Chinese Communist.
THE constitution of the Chinese Communist Party defines what it means to be a party member and lists the organisationâs core beliefs. On October 24th a new principle was added to it: âXi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Eraââquite a mouthful. Xinhua  a government news agency  said the change was approved at the end of a weeklong party congress  an event that takes place every five years. Party leaders had been parroting the cumbersome phrase for several days since  [TGT] who is the partyâs general secretary as well as president  first mentioned it (albeit without his own name attached) on the opening day of the gathering. Bill Bishop  an American China-watcher  says he writes it as XJPTSCCNE âto avoid getting carpal tunnel syndromeâ.
Talk of theory and whether someone is named in a document might sound recondite. But this has huge implications because it invests   [TGT] with more power than any Chinese leader since Mao Zedong.  [TGT]  is the first living leader to be mentioned in the partyâs charter since Mao. Deng Xiaopingâs name is also in the constitution but this was an honour accorded him only after he died in 1997.  Mr Xi âs two predecessors  Hu Jintao and Jiang Zemin  are not named. Moreover   Mr Xi âs thinking uses the same term in Chinese ( sixiang ) as the one in Mao Zedong Thought. Deng in contrast contributed only a âtheoryâ ( lilun )  a less elevated term. No one can have more ideological authority than  Mr Xi . The person has become the party in a way China has not seen since Mao.
  [TGT] has made influential enemies during   [TGT]   first five years as party chief  notably the allies and clients of the hundreds of influential officials   [TGT]   has had arrested for corruption.   [TGT]   has also complained repeatedly that officials lower down the bureaucracy are stymying   [TGT]   orders. This could change  because to oppose   [TGT]   now would be regarded more than ever as opposition to the party itself. In principle  it could make decision-making in China smoother. But it raises the risk that underlings will tell   [TGT] only what they think  he  wants to hear  and increase the chances of bad policymaking.
It also makes the question of the succession moot. By precedent  the general secretary should serve two five-year terms. Mr Xiâs run out in 2022. Under the rules that used to govern Chinese politics   he  would be expected to signal  his  choice of successor at a meeting of the Central Committee that is due to be held on October 25th. The candidate would normally be in the new Politburo Standing Committee  or inner sanctum of politics  that will be unveiled after the brief gathering. Rumours are rife that Wang Qishan  the chief graft-buster and close ally of   [TGT] has been dropped from the Central Committee  and therefore will not be included in the new line-up. There had been speculation that  Mr Xi  might keep   [TGT]   in place  even though   [TGT]   has passed the normal retirement age of 68.
It is not clear how much it matters now who is chosen to succeed   [TGT] or whether  he  has anyone in mind. With  his  name in the constitution   he  must be the ultimate arbiter of authority as long as  he  is alive  since  he âalong with Marx  Lenin  Mao and Dengâdefines what it is to be a good Chinese Communist.