How the Chinese Communist Party Stays in Power

In this episode of Pekingology, host Henrietta Levin interviews Ben Hillman, director of the Australian Centre on China in the World and co-editor of the new book *The Communist Party of China: Understanding the Durability of the World's Most Powerful Political Organization*. The discussion centers on the CCP's remarkable longevity and ability to maintain power through four key pillars: ideology and discourse, organization, co-optation, and coercion. Hillman argues that while the CCP is ideologically committed, its ideology is pragmatic and adaptable—used not as dogma but as a tool to legitimize policy and maintain continuity. He highlights how the party has transformed from a class-based revolutionary force into a nationalist, catch-all party under Xi Jinping, leveraging historical narratives, linguistic engineering, and patriotism to reinforce its rule. The episode also examines the party's sophisticated organizational structure, its use of the United Front Work Department to co-opt elites, its responsiveness to public demands through performance legitimacy, and its extensive, preemptive security apparatus. Despite these strengths, Hillman acknowledges structural vulnerabilities, particularly around leadership succession and the risks of factionalism after Xi. The conversation underscores the CCP’s resilience not despite but because of its ability to evolve while maintaining centralized control. Key takeaways include: the CCP’s ideology is functional rather than rigid; language and historical narrative are powerful tools for legitimacy; the party uses both carrots (co-optation, economic improvement) and sticks (preemptive policing, coercion) to maintain stability; and while the system is durable, its future depends on navigating succession without destabilizing the centralized power structure. The episode concludes with a call to listeners to engage with the book and the broader Pekingology series.