The most effective way to introduce democratic elements under a one-party regime is to allow society greater autonomy in the civil and political spheres, writes Zhengxu Wang, Senior Research Fellow at China Policy Institute in this blog post.

China’s political system is moving in a more democratic direction. The question concerning many now is two-folded: how rapid is this evolution and what is its destiny?

For the second part, the answer is simple: nobody knows. When the British started to build a modern political system in the 17th-18th centuries, nobody knew what form the system would evolve into in the 20th century. The same can be said about China’s political future. Following 30 years of rapid industrialization and economic development, China is in search of a modern and democratic government system.

That system will contain elements including people’s sovereignty, political and civil liberties, government accountability, and the rule of law. It will take a particular shape of democracy, yet nobody knows in what exact form it will be.

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