The harmonious society platform: background

Introduction

The building of a "socialist harmonious society" is the rubric under which the Hu Jintao leadership has chosen to advance its particular social, economic and political vision for China. Observers have suggested that, to a large degree, the drive to build a harmonious society is a response to growing disaffection among Chinese people increasingly frustrated by the inequities that have arisen with rapid GDP growth. The ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) has identified the disparities that gape across region and class as the source of potentially destabilizing civil unrest, which may in turn threaten the nation's continued development and Party control. The harmonious society doctrine aims to diffuse any volatile trends by way of "people-centered reform," whereby the fruits of development are more equitably shared. Goals of the new platform include: providing adequate social services in rural areas, correcting regional development imbalances, addressing labor dislocation, expanding health services and education, and placing greater emphasis on environmental and sustainability concerns. By focusing on these tasks, the Hu leadership hopes to bring about a more prosperous and stable society, and thereby bolster Party legitimacy.

What aspects of contemporary social and political realities in China inspired the harmonious society platform? 

Several troublesome consequences of China's development and modernization have worked to deepen tensions in society. The growth policies espoused by previous leaders Deng Xiaoping and Jiang Zemin heavily favored coastal areas such as the Yangtze and Pearl River Delta regions. Their philosophy was to spur growth by "allowing some to get rich first," on the assumption that prosperity would eventually expand to reach all levels of society. These policies have allowed for soaring growth and great improvements in living standards along China's urban coast, but the rural and hinterland areas have foundered by comparison. Accompanying regional disparities and the growing wealth gap has been the dissolution of the state sector and the social security it once guaranteed millions of Chinese. Endemic corruption throughout the governing apparatus has further exasperated an already anxious population. Corruption is particularly resented in poor rural areas, where farmers frequently suffer from local bureaucratic harassment and malfeasance. Growing public resentment, paired with the steady demise of the party's ideological appeal amid market reforms, has forced the CPC leadership to grapple with a genuine crisis of legitimacy. The Hu Jintao leadership has formulated the harmonious society platform in order to address these problems.

How did the platform emerge as official policy?

In October of 2006, the 6th Plenum of the 16th Central Committee passed a resolution that addressed the "major issues concerning the building of a socialist harmonious society." This document represented the culmination of at least a two-year effort on behalf of the Hu Jintao leadership to put into practice a comprehensive plan aimed at redressing the pervasive social tensions caused by 25 years of economic reforms. The following timeline marks the growing clout of the harmonious society platform in official discourse:

Nov. 2002 – Jiang Zemin's work report to the 16th Party Congress mentions "social harmony," the   first time the phrase is used in high-level official discourse.

Sept. 2004 – During the fourth plenum of 16th Central Committee, with Hu Jintao as party chairman, the goal to create a "socialist harmonious society" appears in a resolution to improve party governance.

19th Feb. 2005 – During a speech to the Central Party School, Hu sets down specific elements of building a "socialist harmonious society."

Dec. 2005 – The goal of building a "new socialist countryside" – an ancillary component of the harmonious society platform – is mandated at the National Work Conference on Agriculture and Rural Policy

4th Mar. 2006 – Hu lays out the 8 honors and 8 disgraces – also an aspect of the harmonious society platform – as a foundation for civic ethics in speech to delegates of CPPCC

Feb. 2006 – During a politburo meeting, top officials decide to draft a resolution on building a harmonious society

8-11th Oct. 2006 – During the sixth plenum of the 16th Central Committee the February draft resolution is adopted, specifically addressing the "major issues concerning the building of a socialist harmonious society"

What does "building a harmonious society" mean for the direction of China's continued economic development?

As part of its harmonious society platform, the leadership under Hu Jintao and premier Wen Jiabao has endeavored to shift the focus of development away from sheer GDP growth toward a broader, more loosely defined goal of improving social welfare. This has meant, for example, that inland infrastructure development has gained prominence over ostentatious projects in coastal cities. The leadership has also shown a new proclivity for turning out vast, centrally formulated plans aimed at addressing "people centered" issues such as education and healthcare. Meanwhile, environmental protection and sustainable development, long issues placed on the backburner, have gained modest traction among decision makers, reflecting a growing fear that environmental degradation and reckless development will both exasperate unrest and jeopardize China's capacity for long-term growth.

What significance does the harmonious society platform hold with regard to power relations in China?

Part of Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao's shared vision for a harmonious society is a significant re-centralization of government power. Over the past several years, observers have noted that central government agencies have become more assertive, while at the same time provincial and local governments have grown increasingly dependant on the center for funding. The Hu leadership has also installed centralized macroeconomic control mechanisms aimed at more equitably redistributing the profits of China's development. Other measures have been taken to monitor and restrict local government behavior so as to curb the cronyism thought typical of the more freewheeling days under Jiang Zemin. As part of this effort, the central government has targeted the discretionary power of low-level officials, who are perceived as responsible for the rampant petty corruption that has so vexed the masses. By systematically reclaiming control over the purse strings at various administrative levels, the central government is reasserting its power in a bid to rectify operations in the party-state's lower echelons. 

What does the new emphasis on the harmonious society platform reveal about Chinese leadership politics?

Some believe that Hu's leadership policies, including the harmonious society platform, have many well-placed detractors. Many officials who once helped Jiang Zemin roll out his coastal friendly policies are still in power, and are thought to have taken exception to Hu's change in tack. The most obvious example of potential rifts among decision makers emerged in the 2006 sacking of Shanghai Party Secretary Chen Liangyu. Mr. Chen was a Jiang loyalist and vocal critic of Hu's policies, and his ejection is often thought to be part of Hu's efforts to consolidate power and support for his vision. Perceived factional skirmishes of this kind have inspired debate over whether Hu has enough power to implement his policies. The harmonious society platform has never been billed as Hu's own intellectual property, in the way that "Mao Zedong Thought", "Deng Xiaoping Theory", and Jiang Zemin's "Three Represents" were explicitly linked to previous leaders. What's more, reference in official media often cite the "Hu-Wen [Jiabao]" combined leadership, and make no reference to Hu as "core leader" in the manner typical of earlier regimes. Observers alternately suggest that this reflects either Hu's tenuous grip on power, or his attempts to depersonalize and collectivize leadership politics.