The contemporary politics of China reflect an ongoing effort by the ruling Chinese CommunistParty (CCP) to claim the right to rule in light of the consequences of economic development,international pressures, and historical change. China stands out within theAsian region for the success the regime has achieved in this effort. By focusing on thechanges in China’s elite discourse during the reform period and particularly during thelast decade, this paper aims to elaborate on the relative importance of various sources oflegitimacy as they shift over time, as well as on their inherent dilemmas and limitations.There is evidence of an agile, responsive, and creative party effort to relegitimate the postrevolutionaryregime through economic performance, nationalism, ideology, culture, governance,and democracy. At the same time, the paper identifies a clear shift in emphasis froman earlier economic‐nationalistic approach to a more ideological‐institutional approach.
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