If official corruption is such a problem for the legitimacy of the Essay

If official corruption is such a problem for the legitimacy of the People's Republic of China, then why have the Chinese Commu - Essay Example The main reasons why PRC has waged war against corruption is the fact that it undermines the legitimacy of the Chinese Communist party, it fuels societal unrest, and adds to the economic inequality in the country. If the communist party does not formulate policies that will contain the wide spread corruption in China, then it will be spelling doom for the economic future of the country and the political stability too. Analysis and Causes As pointed out earlier, the major forms of corruption in the PRC are embezzlement of funds, bribery, nepotism, statistical falsification, patronage, backdoor deals, and grafts.All these are common and rampant in power positions. This explains why the standard definition of corruption in China is the use of public authority and resources for personal and private interests. When any state functionary takes advantage of their office and appropriates, steals, or swindles public money, or takes it in to their possession by any other illegal means, then it is said that corruption has occurred. Moreover, when a state functionary extorts money or property from an individual for the benefit of another person or illegally accepts money from a person in order to secure benefits for that individual, or the state functionary misappropriates public funds for either personal use, illegal dealings, or for profit making purposes, then corruption has occurred. If any citizen gives money or property to a state functionary, or introduces a bribe to them for the purpose of securing certain benefits, then the two can be accused of being involved in corrupt dealings. All these occurrences are in accordance with articles 382 and 396 of the criminal law of the People’s Republic of China. Combating corruption has been a main agenda for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) over the last three decades with every transition of government. During this period, two major anti-corruption campaigns were launched; one in the late 1970’s, and the other in 1989 following the Tiananmen crackdown on the pro-democracy movement. This paper will mainly focus on the 1989 campaign and all other attempted reforms that followed as they fall under the 25 year period that is under study. The efforts of China to eradicate poverty are often frustrated by the enforcement constrains in the country. The CCP employed a strategy dubbed enforcement swapping. This strategy relied on intensive periodic campaigns which were targeted at the big fish. This strategy was credited to have successfully lowered the levels of corruption beyond the tipping point; a point which if surpassed, would have resulted in to a crisis of corruption and overwhelmed the parties enforcement resources (Manion, 2004. P.158). This strategy is said to have been employed out of necessity simply because the CCP lacked enforcement resources and the capacity to wipe out corruption. According to Wedeman, (2004,p.899), the campaign style of enforcement is aimed at controlling corrupt ion rather than eradicating it. This is irrespective of the manner in which it is used; randomized or recreational. This is the very first reason why attempts to eradicate corruption in China by CCP have failed. The communist’s party strategy to eradicate poverty was misguided simply because this strategy is formulated to specifically control corruption, not eradicate it. There is also the probability that the CCP knew exactly what the strategy was