Zeng, Jia (2020) Success or failure under a system of responsive authoritarianism : an evaluation of China’s internet governance policy within a macro-and-micro framework. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

This thesis evaluates and analyses China’s Internet censorship policy according to whether it effectively advances goals associated with what I call the ‘responsive authoritarianism’ of the Chinese government. The theory of responsive authoritarianism, as the macro framework for interpretation, is combined with the adapted McConnell public policy evaluation framework at the micro-level to scrutinize the policy in terms of policymaking (process), implementation (programme), and political impact (politics). Under consideration is whether the policy gains the Communist Party of China government basic legitimacy through responding to the public; and whether it achieves the internal goal of social stability and the external goal of benefiting from Internet-facilitated international trade to acquire further government legitimacy. To that end, in-depth interviews and surveys were conducted. Additionally, documents were analysed, while several cases were analysed.

It is found that the policy succeeds in gaining the legitimacy of the government, but not without problems: though policymaking involves multiple stakeholders within and outside the government, non-governmental stakeholders could have played a more substantive role. Moreover, the policy is designed to decrease collective activities, but in real practice, some implementers chose to filter other information, like criticism of local government’s misconduct or the needs of the public. Politically, the policy has been regarded as bringing the Chinese more benefits than trouble. Nevertheless, factors such as the vagueness of the policy, which leaves rooms for mis-implementation, need improvement. Otherwise, in the long run, the achievements so far would be counteracted.

This study not only analyses the success and failure of the Chinese Internet censorship policy but also adds a new perspective to previous works from both liberal and pro-economic authoritarian positions by interpreting the policy in its own context. Moreover, the macro-and-micro-framework and the approaches employed herein can be used to study other Chinese policies or those of other authoritarian states.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HM Sociology J Political Science > JC Political theory J Political Science > JQ Political institutions (Asia, Africa, Australia, Pacific Area, etc.) Z Bibliography. Library Science. Information Resources > ZA Information resources > ZA4050 Electronic information resources
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Internet -- Censorship -- China, Internet -- Government policy -- China, Internet -- Political aspects -- China, Authoritarianism -- China, Public policy
Official Date:	September 2020
Dates:	Date Event September 2020 UNSPECIFIED
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Department of Politics and International Studies
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Sorell, Tom ; Christou, George, 1973-
Format of File:	pdf
Extent:	xiv, i, 435 leaves : illustrations
Language:	eng

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