you don’t know what you’re talking about.
Every individual in China is monitored by the government. They get graded every year on their “Fidelity” to the government
People who don’t measure up according to the communist scale of loyalty, don’t get into college can’t get credit, can’t even rent apartments.
China does not have free and fair elections in any meaningful Western/liberal democratic sense, and it features extensive government (and CCP) bureaucracy with pervasive control over individuals’ lives—far more than in the US or other liberal democracies.
Elections in China
China is a one-party authoritarian state dominated by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The CCP maintains a monopoly on power, and all significant political decisions flow from it.
• National and higher-level “elections” are largely symbolic or predetermined. The National People’s Congress (NPC) formally “elects” the president, premier, etc., but candidates are vetted and chosen in advance by CCP leadership. There is no genuine competition or opposition.
• Local elections (village/township level) exist and have some limited elements of choice, but even there, candidates are often pre-approved by the CCP, independent or dissenting candidates face barriers or suppression, and higher levels control outcomes. These were experimented with partly for local accountability and monitoring officials but have been rolled back or constrained as central power strengthened.
• Freedom House rates China’s electoral process at 0/4. It is ranked among the least electorally democratic countries globally (e.g., 3rd least per V-Dem indices). No free speech, assembly, or media access for opposition; dissent is suppressed.
Claims of “free and fair elections” typically misunderstand or misrepresent the system—it’s not competitive multiparty democracy with rule of law protecting rights. “Whole-process people’s democracy” is CCP rhetoric for controlled participation under party leadership, not liberal democracy.
Bureaucracy and Government Control
China has a massive, powerful bureaucracy intertwined with the CCP (“party-state”). The Party controls appointments (nomenklatura system), outranks government officials at every level, and directs policy.
• The State Council and ministries handle administration, but the CCP’s Organization Department and parallel party structures ensure loyalty and control. Xi Jinping has further centralized power.
• This extends to tight oversight of media, internet (Great Firewall, censorship), religion, universities, businesses, and civil society. Surveillance, social credit systems, and restrictions on movement/speech are well-documented.
• Freedom indices: Freedom House scores China 9/100 (“Not Free”) overall, with very low political rights and civil liberties. Economic freedom (Heritage Foundation) is low (~48/100, “Repressed,” ranked ~154th), reflecting state intervention, regulation, and control over key sectors.
Everyday freedoms Americans take for granted—speech, assembly, religion, due process, independent judiciary, ability to criticize leaders without severe repercussions—are heavily restricted. The CCP prioritizes stability, party control, and “socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics” over individual liberties.
Nuance and Counterpoints
China has achieved rapid economic growth and poverty reduction in recent decades through market-oriented reforms (while retaining state dominance in key areas), and some argue its system enables decisive long-term planning. Local experiments with accountability exist. However, this doesn’t equate to “no bureaucracy” or free/fair elections—it’s authoritarian governance with technocratic elements, not liberal democracy. Personal freedoms and political rights are demonstrably lower.