Cadre System—China

In China, the term "cadre" refers both to all party functionaries and civil servants in administrative institutions, public organizations, and armed forces and to persons in leading positions. It is important to differentiate between party, administrative, and military cadres. As the term covers party and state leaders as well as village officials or policemen, it does not refer to a homogeneous group.

Since 1956 cadres were classified according to twenty-five ranks (ji). Grade twenty-five was the lowest grade. The original classification was dependent on the time a person had attended the revolutionary movement or was admitted into the Communist Party as well as one's contributions to the revolution or "liberation." The early classification was influenced by the Soviet cadre system but also by traditional ranking patterns of the civil service in imperial times.

The cadre system that had been in existence in China since the 1950s was remodeled in 1993 by the Provisional Regulations for Public Service into fifteen grades, starting with the prime minister at grade one and running down to ordinary officials at grades ten through fifteen.

The grading is the same on each level of the party, in the People's Congresses (parliaments), and in the Political Consultative Conferences. This same grading also regulates salaries and privileges. State cadres, that is, civil servants paid by the state, are put on the official schedule by the responsible personnel offices. Organization departments are responsible for party cadres. State cadres are paid out of the official budgets, whereas the other rural cadres have to be paid by extrabudgetary means. Each cadre grade is treated differently, with privileges increasing as grade level rises. "High cadres" (grade five and up) enjoy the greatest privileges as far as salaries, labor conditions, size and standard of accommodation, medical treatment, and pensions are concerned. They also receive more servants paid by the state, a better official car with driver, the right to travel first class in trains and planes on official trips, and last but not least, access to detailed information on China and foreign countries.

This hierarchical system is similar to China's traditional civil-service hierarchy, which was also divided into grades in what was known as the ji-hierarchy. There were two main categories: civil and military service. From the Tang dynasty (618–907 CE) onward, each category was divided into nine grades, each grade being divided into two classes, upper (shang) and lower (xia), for a total of eighteen ranks. Each grade was characterized by special insignias and salaries. The higher the rank, the greater the attendant privileges and nonmaterial advantages.

Today, as in the past, losing an official position or exclusion from the hierarchy means the loss of all kinds of privileges as well as a significant decrease in standard of living. Success in such a system and the social security it offers make it very attractive to become a member of the party and to join some kind of network that will guarantee advancement in the hierarchy.

Christiansen, Flemming, and Rai Shirin. (1996) Chinese Politics and Society. New York: Prentice Hall/Harvester Wheatsheaf.

Heberer, Thomas, and Wolfgang Taubmann. (1998) Chinas Ländliche Gesellschaft im Umbruch. Urbanisierung und Sozioøkonomischer Wandel auf dem Lande. Opladen, Germany: Westdeutscher Verlag.

Lieberthal, Kenneth. (1995) Governing China: From Revolution through Reform. New York: W. W. Norton & Company.

Schurmann, Franz. (1968) Ideology and Organization in Communist China. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press.

This is the complete article, containing 556 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page).