Many Faces of China: Decline of Communism

Double Edged Sword: The decline in influence of the Communist Party in the lives of Chinese is not without its drawbacks. Basic health and welfare benefits are scarcer than in previous years. Regional and local Communist Party offices lack central funding and Party corruption is rampant in smaller towns and villages. Despite China’s rise to global prominence, the new era of “Leninist Corporatization” has yet to “trickle down” to the 80 percent of Chinese who still live as peasants. With diminishing opportunity in their local villages, many Chinese have abandoned their agricultural “roots” and migrated toward China’s industrial regions in search of better paying jobs.