Annie Ruth Harrison (夏安)
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Perpetual student of Chinese history, culture, and language Fri
What is the process whereby someone rises to be in a position of political power in China?
Thanks for the a2a. From the bottom. I think the best example of that is current General Secretary Xi. His father was jailed during the Cultural Revolution, and he himself rejected from joining the Party nine times.

He lived in a cave. He used a motorcycle to generate water for the first villiage he served. When they sent him off to college I’ve read that people there were sad to part with him. My point is that whether you like him or not, he started his political career in very humble beginnings despite being a “princeling” of the CCP. He didn’t walk an easy path, and while his contemporaries were out dabbling in the things young people do, he was devoting himself to building his career. He was driven to gain power, but to gain it he had to work his way through the ranks.

I also look at Deng Xiaoping, a man with a different personality altogether.. He was someone Mao considered a friend, but Mao purged him from the Party three times. Deng was past the age of 70 when his most successful political career and his time to lead China came.

From the outside looking in, I’d say those that reach the top deserve it. Meritocracy and determination are required. It doesn’t look easy.