Rationalising stability preservation through Mao's not so invisible hand

Journal article | Zeitschriftenartikel

This paper considers the process of constructing the official discourse of 'weiwen' (stability preservation) in the policing arena in the first decade of the 21st century. It focuses on the pivotal period after 2003 when policing priorities were shifted from 'striking hard' at serious crime to pursuing 'weiwen' to contain burgeoning protests and civil dissent, as a move to maintain stability in the early to mid-years of the Hu Jintao-Wen Jiabao harmonious society era. We observe how Mao has been central in this process. Stability preservation operations have been rationalised through Maoist ideology using some staples of Maoist discourse, particularly 'social contradictions', and policing authorities have adopted key methodological aspects of Maoist campaign-style policing to embed this new 'weiwen' focus in the everyday agendas of policing, while ever more 'mass incidents' disrupt the maintenance of stability in China.

Object Details

• Alternative title: Rationalisierung der Gewährleistung von Stabilität durch Maos nicht so unsichtbare Hand
• ISSN: 1868-4874
• Extent: Seite(n): 51-77
• Language: Englisch
• Notes: Status: Veröffentlichungsversion; begutachtet (peer reviewed)

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Journal of Current Chinese Affairs, 42(2)

Classification and Topics

• Subject: Staatsformen und Regierungssysteme ; Politikwissenschaft ; Staat, staatliche Organisationsformen ; politische Willensbildung, politische Soziologie, politische Kultur ; politisches System ; Protest ; öffentliche Meinung ; Menschenrechte ; Repression ; soziale Stabilität ; Parteienstaat ; China ; innere Sicherheit ; Bürgerrecht ; Mao Tse-tung ; politische Stabilität

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Trevaskes, Susan
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (where): Deutschland
• (when): 2013

Further information

• URN: urn:nbn:de:gbv:18-4-6323
• Last update: 21.06.2024, 4:27 PM CEST