Graduation Year

2011

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

M.A.

Degree Granting Department

Government and International Affairs

Major Professor

Eunjung Choi, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Michael Solomon, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Harry Vanden, Ph.D.

Keywords

Culture, Modernization, Traditional, Values, Governance

Abstract

This study is intended to analyze levels of institutional confidence in China. The purpose is to measure the relationship between changing political and cultural values with modernization and levels of institutional criticism. To analyze institutional criticism modernization and political culture theories are used. Using these theories together offers explanatory power as to what political and cultural values may change and why changes in confidence in governance may occur. These theories include socioeconomic, traditional, and political values to measure institutional confidence in 1990 and 2007. The examination of traditional versus modernization values imply that individuals possessing these opposing values display different confidence in governance levels. The findings suggest that those having higher socioeconomic standing and greater modernization values have a lower level of confidence in governance. Although modernization brought a decrease in confidence in governance, institutional criticism is lower than expected in China. In some cases the status quo is preferred. The findings suggest relatively stable levels of institutional confidence. This implies that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has remained moderate to highly legitimate despite the rigidity of their authoritarian political structure. These findings weaken claims that substantial political reform measures will occur within China in the foreseeable future.

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