2013 Theses Doctoral

Elite Status in the PRC: Its formation and maintenance

Chao, Grace

The goal of this dissertation is to determine how elite status in the People's Republic of China (PRC) is formed, maintained, and perpetuated. The role of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is studied to see how the CCP confirms elite status. The political, military, and commercial elites form the membership of the national leadership bodies of the CCP and the PRC government, and as such, they hold the most influence. The political elites hold the most status and prestige.

Other elites exist, namely in the form of scholarly, artistic, and born elites. It is important to realize the role of the CCP and PRC government in confirming PRC elite status. Political, commercial, and military elites claim elite status by their position in the CCP and government hierarchy. Born elites gain their status from being related via blood or marriage to political, commercial, or military elites. Artistic and scholarly elites derive their status from how closely they are aligned to the CCP and government.