Abstract：

The resiliency of authoritarian rule in China makes it an exceptional case among reforming communist and developing countries. This dissertation examines and synthesizes political or behavioral, institutional, social, and cultural variables, and suggests a composite theory of the main obstacles to democratization in China. These conditions impede the rise of (1) ;independent political interest organizations in the society and (2) ;open and enduring, ideological groupings in the party-state, which would in turn, serve as foundations for democratization. I posit that four commonly cited obstacles to democratization in China—;low socio-economic development, the lack of a significant bourgeoisie, weak civic culture, and tenuous legal traditions—;do not pose crucial or insurmountable impediments. China’s levels of economic and cultural development are capable of supporting democratization. In the absence of a commercial class, the state and the intelligentsia may assume leading roles in establishing a legal order and in initiating the democratization process. The following factors are critical for maintaining authoritarian rule in China: strength of state controls over society; Chinese communist institutions, particularly informal politics and centralism; and the lack of autonomy, organization, and democratic attitudes among intellectuals and mass groups. This dissertation points out several weaknesses in existing theories about democratization and Chinese politics. First, singular approaches to democratization often lead to inaccurate descriptions and erroneous predictions. Hence they must be used in conjunction with other models and empirical evidence. Second, some theoretical propositions have been negated. For example, the notion that a bourgeoisie is a necessary condition for democracy is not valid in many cases. Third, many generalizations of Chinese politics based upon socio-economic and cultural indicators do no capture the dynamic changes that are occurring in the society. Fourth, the literatures on democratization and Chinese politics do not adequately examine or relate to the problem of democratization some of China’s unique political conditions. They include local means of social control, informal politics, strong intellectual ties to the state, and cellular structures in the society.