← China Studies syllabus

SingaporeChina Studies

Political Development Since 1978

8 dot points across 8 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

How does China balance central control with the local autonomy that drove its reforms?

Analyse the relationship between the central government and local governments in reform-era China and evaluate its consequences for governance
A focused answer to the H2 China Studies dot point on central and local government. Decentralisation as the engine of reform, the 1994 tax reform, local debt and policy distortion, and recentralisation under Xi.
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On what basis does the Chinese Communist Party claim the right to rule, and how secure is that claim?

Examine the sources of the Chinese Communist Party's legitimacy since 1978 and evaluate how far it rests on economic performance
A focused answer to the H2 China Studies dot point on regime legitimacy. Performance legitimacy, nationalism, ideology and tradition, and how vulnerable the Party becomes if growth slows.
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Why has the Party reasserted ideology and discipline under Xi Jinping after decades of pragmatism?

Evaluate the reassertion of ideology and Party discipline under Xi Jinping and its significance for the trajectory of reform-era politics
A focused answer to the H2 China Studies dot point on the Xi era. The retreat from Deng-era pragmatism, Xi Jinping Thought, the strengthening of the Party over the state, and what it means for the reform model.
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How did China institutionalise leadership succession, and what has changed under Xi Jinping?

Trace the institutionalisation of leadership succession in China since 1978 and evaluate the significance of its partial reversal under Xi Jinping
A focused answer to the H2 China Studies dot point on succession. Collective leadership and term limits after Mao, the orderly handovers of the 1990s and 2000s, and the 2018 abolition of presidential term limits.
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Why has China combined far-reaching economic reform with the firm preservation of one-party political control?

Analyse the tension between economic liberalisation and political control in China since 1978 and evaluate why the Party has resisted political reform
A focused answer to the H2 China Studies dot point on economic reform without political reform. The 1989 turning point, the East Asian model, the lessons of the Soviet collapse, and how far the bargain is sustainable.
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Has China built the rule of law, or only rule by law in the service of the Party?

Examine the development of China's legal system since 1978 and evaluate the distinction between rule of law and rule by law
A focused answer to the H2 China Studies dot point on law. Building a legal framework for the market, the rule-of-law versus rule-by-law distinction, the Party's supremacy over the courts, and recent legal reforms.
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Why has corruption been so persistent in reform-era China, and what has the anti-corruption campaign achieved?

Explain the causes of corruption in reform-era China and evaluate the aims and effects of the anti-corruption campaign under Xi Jinping
A focused answer to the H2 China Studies dot point on corruption. Why reform bred corruption, the post-2012 campaign, tigers and flies, and whether it is governance reform or political consolidation.
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How has the Chinese Communist Party adapted in order to survive and rule a transformed society?

Explain how the Chinese Communist Party has reformed itself since 1978 and evaluate how far its capacity to adapt accounts for its survival
A focused answer to the H2 China Studies dot point on Party adaptation. Institutionalisation after Mao, ideological flexibility, recruiting new elites, and how far adaptability explains the CCP's survival.
11 min answer →