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  3. China as Number One? The Emerging Values of a Rising Power

China as Number One? The Emerging Values of a Rising Power

Yang Zhong and Ronald F. Inglehart
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  • Overview

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One of the most significant global events in the last forty years has been the rise of China— economically, technologically, politically, and militarily. The question on people's minds for decades has been whether China will replace the United States as a superpower in the near future. But for China, this power must be comprehensive — having strong economic and militant forces are only two pieces of the puzzle. China must also possess soft power, such as attractive ideologies, values, and culture.

China as Number One? explores China's soft powers through the eyes of Chinese citizens. Utilizing data from the World Values Survey, the contributors to this collection analyze the potential soft power of a rising China by examining its residents' social values. A comprehensive study of changes and continuities in the political and social values of Chinese citizens, the book examines findings in the context of evolutionary modernization theory and cross-national comparison.
  • Cover
  • Halftitle page
  • Series information
  • Title page
  • Copyright page
  • Contents
  • List of Tables
  • List of Figures
  • Preface
  • one | Introduction
    • China’s Lead in the World
      • The Role of Culture
  • TWO | Democratic Authoritarianism: A Study of Chinese Political Orientations1
    • Introduction
    • Freedom
    • Democracy
    • Human Rights
    • Democratic Authoritarianism
    • Conclusion
    • Appendix Summary Statistics
  • THREE | Political Participation in China: Social Surveys as Windows to Chinese Political Attitudes and Behavior
    • Introduction
    • Political Interest and Forms of Political Participation
      • Interest in Politics
      • Protest Activism
      • Voting in Elections for Local People’s Congresses
      • Online and Other Forms of Political Activism/Participation
    • Socioeconomic Factors and Political Participation
    • China in Comparative Perspective
    • Conclusion
    • Appendix 1. Sample Size in WVS 7
    • Appendix 2. Interest in Politics
    • Appendix 3. Protest Activism
    • Appendix 4. Social Activism
    • Appendix 5. Online Participation
  • FOUR | Postmaterialism in China: Generational Differences and Cross-National Comparisons
    • Introduction
    • The Postmaterialist Values Theory and the Ongoing Debate
    • Economic Development and Political Culture in China
    • Temporal Changes and Generational Differences in Postmaterialism
    • Period and Cohort Effects on Postmaterialism in China
    • China in Comparative Perspective
    • Conclusion
  • FIVE | Contained Emancipative Social Values: Waves of Conservative and Liberal Trends in China
    • Introduction
    • Emancipative Values
    • Respect for Authority
    • Gender and Sexuality
    • Social Tolerance
    • Qualities of Children
    • Conclusion
  • SIX | Mapping the Changes of Trust in Transitional China
    • Introduction
    • Literature Review
    • Interpersonal and Political Trust in China
    • Interpersonal Trust
    • Confidence in Public and Political Organizations
    • Conclusion
  • SEVEN | Attitudes toward Religion, Science, and Technology in China
    • Introduction
    • Religion and Science in Contemporary China
    • Attitudes toward Religion and Religious Values among Chinese People
    • Religious Values in Comparative Perspective
    • Attitudes toward Science and Technology
    • Attitudes toward Science and Technology in Comparative Perspective
    • Conclusion
  • EIGHT | Conclusions
  • Contributors
  • Index
Open access version made available with the support of The Lieberthal-Rogel Center for Chinese Studies (LRCCS)
Citable Link
Published: 2024
Publisher: University of Michigan Press
License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license
ISBN(s)
  • 978-0-472-07635-2 (hardcover)
  • 978-0-472-05635-4 (paper)
  • 978-0-472-90373-3 (open access)
Series
  • China Understandings Today
Subject
  • Asian Studies:China
  • Political Science:Political Behavior and Public Opinion

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This graph shows where different countries are regarding their traditional vs. rational values and survival vs. self-expression values. The vertical line reflects traditional vs. rational values with smaller numbers indicating more traditional values. The horizontal line reflects survival vs. self-expression values with smaller numbers indicating more survival values.

Global Cultural Map in 2017-2020

From Chapter 1

Figure 1.1.Global Cultural Map in 2017–2020 Source: Data from the 7th wave of the World Values Survey and European Values Study carried out between 2017-2020 (fieldwork was interrupted in early 2020 because of the Covid19 pandemic).

Bar chart showing the Freedom House rankings of freedom and democracy in selected countries. China is ranked at a miserable level of only 8% if the U.S. and other western-style liberal democracies are ranked as 100%.

Freedom in the World: FH Ranking 2012

From Chapter 2

Figure 2.1a.Freedom in the World: FH Rankings 2012 Source: https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world.

Bar chart showing the respondents' subjective feeling of freedom in selected countries and regions in the 6th Wave of the World Values Surveys. The highest is 83% in Mexico and the lowest is 53% in Japan. Chinese respondents' level of subjective freedom is at 68% of 100%, which is higher than several western style liberal democracies including Germany, Spain, Netherland, South Korea, Japan, among others. This suggests that the lack of freedom in China is grossly exaggerated in the Freedom House ranking by Western liberal elites in figure 1a.

Feeling Free

From Chapter 2

Figure 2.1b.Feeling Free Source: 6th Wave World Values Surveys.

Bar chart showing 83% of Chinese respondents in the 7th World Values Survey in 2018 preferred democracy as their desired political system.

Preferred Political System (Weighted)

From Chapter 2

Figure 2.2.Preferred Political System in China Source: World Values Survey China 2018.

Bar chart showing more than two thirds of Chinese survey respondents in the 7th World Values Survey were satisfied with democracy, human rights and the political system in their own country. This is in sharp contrast to the Freedom House ranking in figure 1a that shows near-bottom level of freedom in China.

Political Satisfaction In China (Weighted)

From Chapter 2

Figure 2.3.Political Satisfaction in China Source: World Values Survey China 2018.

Bar chart showing cross-society comparison of satisfaction with democracy in selected countries and regions in the 6th wave of the World Values Survey, ranging from 74% in Sweden and 32% in Armenia. China is at 60%, which is the same as the U.S. This is again in a sharp contrast to the Freedom Housing rankings in figure 1a.

Satisfaction With Democracy In Selected Countries

From Chapter 2

Figure 2.4.Satisfaction with Democracy in Selected Countries and Regions Source: World Values Surveys Wave 6.

Bar chart showing that Chinese survey respondents in the 2018 7th wave of the World Values Survey thought both democratic institutions and social welfare are equally important for Chinese democracy.

How Important Are These Issues for Democracy (Weighted)

From Chapter 2

Figure 2.5.How Important Are These Items for Democracy? Source: World Values Survey in China (2018).

Bar chart showing satisfaction with human rights in selected countries and regions in the 7th wave of the World Values Survey, ranging from 91% in Qatar to 30% in Egypt. China is at 67%, higher than several Western style liberal democracies.

Satisfaction With Human Rights in Selected Countries

From Chapter 2

Figure 2.6.Satisfaction with Human Rights in Selected Countries and Regions Source: World Values Surveys Wave 6.

bar chart showing how Chinese survey respondents in the 7th wave of the World Values Survey were able to express higher level of support for government surveillance in public space than in private life.

Support For Government Surveillance (Weighted)

From Chapter 2

Figure 2.7.Support for Government Surveillance Source: World Values Survey in China (2018).

Bar chart showing support for strong political leaders in selected countries and regions in the World Values Surveys. In China from the 4th to the 7th waves, support for strong leader increased significantly

Support For "Having a strong leader who does not have to bother with parliament and elections"

From Chapter 2

Figure 2.8.Support for “Having a Strong Leader Who Does Not Have to Bother with Parliament and Elections” Sources: World Values Surveys Waves 4 (China only), 5 (China only), 6 (all countries/regions) and 7 (China only).

bar chart showing cross-society comparisons of satisfaction with the combined index of freedom, democracy and human rights in the 6th wave of the World Values Survey, ranging from 73% in New Zealand to 36% in Armenia. China is at 65%, which is 13th out of the 49 countries and regions.

Satisfaction with Combined Index of Freedom, Democracy and Human Rights in Selected Countries and Regions

From Chapter 2

Figure 2.9.Support for Combined Index of Freedom, Democracy, and Human Rights in Selected Countries and Regions Source: 6th Wave World Values Surveys.

This figure shows that among the factors considered, education level and Party membership are strongly correlated with whether the respondents voted for Local People's Congress (LPC) deputies.

Voted for LPC Deputies

From Chapter 3

Figure 3.1.Demographic Breakdown of Vote for Local People’s Congress Deputies

This figure maps the change in factors that correlate with citizens' participation in protest activism. It suggests that education level is consistently a strong predictor of protest activism.

Protest Activism

From Chapter 3

Figure 3.2.Demographic Breakdown of Protest Activism

We consider participation in other types of political activism, including donating to a certain organization or activity and contacting government officials. The figure suggests that CCP membership and education level positively and significantly correlate with participation in other types of political activism.

WVS7 Other Types of Political Activism

From Chapter 3

Figure 3.3.Demographic Breakdown of Other Types of Political Participation (WVS 7)

This figure demonstrates that education level and Party membership are positively and strongly correlated with whether respondents will seek information related to politics online. In contrast, age is negatively correlated with such activities.

WVS7 Online Participation-Getting More Info

From Chapter 3

Figure 3.4.Demographic Breakdown of Online Participation (WVS 7)

This figure shows that education level is positively and strongly correlated with whether respondents will engage in online protest activism. In contrast, age is negatively correlated with such activities.

WVS7 Online Protest Activism

From Chapter 3

Figure 3.5.Demographic Breakdown of Other Online Activism (WVS 7)

This figure compares levels of political interest in four Asian societies: mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and South Korea. It turns out that the percentage of people who say they are very or somewhat interested in politics is the highest in mainland China (over 50 percent) and the lowest percentage of people expressing they are very or somewhat interested in politics is found in Hong Kong (around 30 percent).

Interest in Politics (%) in Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Mainland China

From Chapter 3

Figure 3.6.Interest in Politics (%) in Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Mainland China

This figure shows levels of political participation in various forms in four Asian societies. The forms of political participation include donating to a group or campaign, contacting a governmental official, encouraging others to take action about political issues, and encouraging others to vote.

Other types of Participation (%) in Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Mainland China

From Chapter 3

Figure 3.7.Other Types of Participation (%) in Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Mainland China

Figure 3.8 compares online political participation in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and South Korea. Online political participation forms include searching information about politics and political events, signing an electoral petition, encouraging others to take any political action, and organizing political activities, events and protests.

Online Participation (%) in Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Mainland China

From Chapter 3

Figure 3.8.Online Participation (%) in Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Mainland China

This figure compares levels of political interest between the United States and China, showing that more Americans are interested in politics than mainland Chinese.

Interest in Politics (%) in the United States and Mainland China

From Chapter 3

Figure 3.9.Interest in Politics (%) in the United States and Mainland China

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