2 - Succession and the Art of Consolidating Power

Summary

This chapter examines the passage of power from Deng Xiaoping to Jiang Zemin. It shows at least four things. First, that Jiang did not consolidate power until he had been in office for approximately five years. Second, the purge of the military leadership allowed Jiang to build support in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Third, Jiang was able to move supporters into critical positions and thus consolidate power, and, fourth, he was able to extend his influence even after he stepped down. Together, these phases in the consolidation of power show how difficult it is to pass on power in a Leninist system, that control of the military remains a critical part of consolidating power, and that personal networks remain critical to understanding how power works in a Leninist system.