Provincial Power and Provincial Economic Resources in the PRC

Abstract

This article attempts to produce a concept of provincial power based on provincial representation in the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). It uses data from seven central committees (from the ninth elected in 1969 to the fifteenth in 1997) and constructs an index of provincial power (CCindex). It also explains the variations in provincial power by provincial economic resources. The study shows that Chinese provinces can be classified into two groups: ordinary and elite provinces. Elite provinces are those which have representations in the Politburo, and include large provinces such as Sichuan, Guangdong, and Shandong. The municipalities under central control (Shanghai, Beijing, and Tianjin) all belong to this group. The study also demonstrates that provincial populations and economic resources are determinants of provincial power. Finally, the study indicates the political decline of provincial power during the era of economic reforms, which strongly opposes the convention that provinces are gaining power.