Teaching Comparative

Demographics of the CPC

In the run up to the Party Congress, Xinhua published a report from the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee on Party membership. In spite of changes, there doesn't seem to be anything revolutionary.

Even news about the highly touted "new social stratum" (i.e. capitalists, entrepreneurs, and non-government professionals) which has been invited to join the party, is less than it seems. When it came to identifying how many had joined the 73-million member Party, "the organization department did not give a specific figure..."

Nonetheless, the demographics of Party membership makes for some interesting comparisons to national statistics. (See the CIA World Factbook.)

Number of CPC members increases by 6.4 million

"The number of Communist Party of China (CPC) members had reached 73.36 million by the end of June, an increase of 6.42 million over 2002, according to the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee.

"The statistics show nearly 4.2 million, or 31.9 percent of the new members, were women... and nearly 6.5 million, or 49.3 percent, were grassroots people 'working on the frontline' such as policemen, doctors or teachers, according to the department...

"About 134,000 people from the 'new social stratum' applied for Party membership. Some were accepted, although the organization department did not give a specific figure, and 64,000 of them are likely to join the Party soon and currently being assessed by the CPC, it said.

"The 'new social stratum' includes private entrepreneurs, technicians and managerial-level staff in private or foreign-funded companies, the self-employed and employees in intermediate organizations, according to the CPC.

"By June 2007, 3.18 million Party members were working in private companies...

"By June 2007, the Party had 7.96 million... workers; 23.1 million... farmers, herdsmen and fishermen; 21.3 million... cadres, managerial staff and technical specialists; 1.6 million... army men and armed police; 1.95 million... students; 13.77 million... retired people, and 3.64 million... 'others'...

"The number of women members was up 22.6 percent, ethnic minority members, up 11.6 percent, and college graduate members, up 40.8 percent..."

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Labels: China, demographics, participation, politics

posted by Ken Wedding @ 7:53 AM