On December 9th, Professor Wu Guoguang, a Chinese-American political scholar and current senior research fellow at the Stanford University’s China Economic and Institutional Research Center, held a press conference to introduce his new book, “China After the Communist Party: Eight Perspectives on Transition.” He shared his thoughts and suggestions on the transformation of Chinese society and institutions after the demise of the Communist Party with the attendees.
In the preface of his new book, Wu Guoguang wrote, “With Xi Jinping’s highly centralized personal power and the implementation of what this book refers to as a ‘counter-transitional’ governing route, China’s era of prosperity has come to an end. Many find it hard to believe: a nation that was once filled with rapid economic growth and brilliant visions, why is it now engulfed in anxiety, confusion, oppression, and despair?”
During an interview at the event, Professor Wu commented that the current situation in China has stripped the Communist Party of its last pillar of “legitimacy” to rule, describing this condition as a “legitimacy deficit.”
“The fundamental problem with the Communist Party system is that it conflicts with human nature and human instincts, which is why this system fundamentally cannot stand in China,” Professor Wu said. He expressed his willingness to explore the future of China after the dissolution of the Communist Party in his book, stating, “There are so many people in the world with different ways of life, many of whom do not understand in China. So, how to bring it to China, how it will be used in China, cannot be simply copied. Therefore, I want to put forward constructive thinking.”
Rong Wei, the founder and editor-in-chief of the New York Boden Bookstore, which published this book, pointed out that the core issue raised by Professor Wu’s book is the denial of the legitimacy of the Communist Party’s rule.
“He introduced the political science concept of ‘legitimacy deficit,’ where ‘deficit’ means ‘lack of legitimacy,’ and it is actually the Communist Party owing us,” Rong Wei said. He quoted the book to describe the relationship between the Communist Party and the Chinese people as a “contract under the gun,” where “they point a gun at your head, the people are forced, not acknowledging its legitimacy… When popular discontent reaches a certain level, it will turn into a resistance force, so the Communist Party’s (forced) ‘legitimacy’ will eventually be terminated.”
Dr. Zhao Yunlong, one of the attendees and Deputy Director of the International Information Development Committee at the United Nations, expressed that the Chinese Communist Party’s rule has reached a point of widespread anger and resentment. He speculated that the Communist Party might be overthrown by the people, eliminated through war by countries like the United States, or dismantled globally through a Cold War strategy similar to what happened to the former Soviet Union.
“Even its own generals no longer trust it… When will this ‘bubble’ burst? Not sure. For example, a general who knows he will be arrested the next day might say, ‘I’m not doing this anymore,’ and overthrow it… In reality, Communist Party officials are all waiting for the demise of the Communist Party,” he said. “Officials have moved their money, wives, children, and even mistresses abroad.”