Rethinking Chinese Politics

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The book explores the concept of institutionalization in political systems, specifically focusing on Leninism. It argues that Leninism lacks decision-making rules for power transfer, leading to personal power consolidation and network-building that hinder institutionalization. While intra-party rules exist, they do not apply to core leadership, highlighting a key distinction within Leninism compared to broader authoritarianism. The text also emphasizes that Leninism evolves through phases and is susceptible to pathologies that can weaken its structure during reform.