Comparative Study Of Civil-Military Relations Between China And The United States: A Histroical Examination Of Recent 30 Years

Civil-military relations had been regulated by certain principle frames by the ruling political powers in the People's Republic of China and the United States respectively at the beginning of national founding. Apparent and substantial differences can be found between the two sets of frames. Although both hated and fought against military dictatorship and monarch troops, America's emerging bourgeoisie introduced civil control of military and monopolized the leadership of armed forces in a concealed manner. Mao Tse-tung and his communist colleagues made great endeavors to shape new civil-military relations in China. Changes of military missions and ethical indoctrination facilitated unity in civil-military relations. Among party, military and people, the party's class background and its leadership of troops are the core mechanisms to safeguard people's fundamental status. Distinct economic structures and security views affect public attitude toward the military. A standing army were considered by early American people as a potential threat and economic burden, and political elites made law to carefully divide the two sides'responsibilities, rights and interest and to prevent military intervention in domestic politics. On the contrary, China's armed forces developed extensive relations with the grassroots during revolution and became a positive and useful strength in society. Boundary between military and the Chinese people was difficult to identify, and their friendship was based on the same class identity. For centuries, building a strong army has been the common dream of both the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the public.Stability and changes are both found in the development of civil-military relations in China and the United States during the past 30 years. Traditional affiliation and warrior spirit prove to be important factors influencing the geographical distribution of civil and military actors. Southern military tradition has been strengthed during America's all-volunteer-force period. Revolutionary base areas are still highly represented in the People's Liberation Army (PLA)'s senior officers. The link between U.S. military and society represents the changing social race and class structure. Middle class constitutes the main part of enlistees, while most officers come from the middle and upper classes. In China, the PLA implemented a liberal and open policy in ethnic affairs, devoting to minorities'stability, unity and prosperity. The PLA's social representation is deeply rooted in China's pyramid social structure, and it must establish close link with the emerging middle class during social transformation. Technological innovation and educational development produced same effects in civil-military relations. Science and technology pushed new generation of intellectual elites to the center of civil-military interaction circle while those with poor educational attainments were expelled to the boundary. Civil-military relations in China and the United States respectively represent two models, convergent cooperation and dichotomized divide. American civil-military relations focus on dichotomy. U.S. military is not allowed direct access to congress and it refuses economic construction and idelogical indoctrination roles, showing a self-enclosed and self-protecting character. By contrast, the PLA interacts actively and frequently with the Chinese people in politics, economic development, national defense and value communication. Civil-military relations in China are unity-oriented and their powers are directed to accomplish the common cause. Even in the military operational dimension where both countries share similar objectives, U.S. military, confident in its own capability, has contempt for the reserve force and National Guard, while the PLA attaches great importance to reserve force and militia when pushing forward mechanization and informationalization.Conflicts in civil-military relations are diversified and can be classified as rational and irrational ones. Military pursuit of higher efficiency brings about rational pressure on social equity in both countries, and irrational factors hindering their relations are also found. Social problems have been transferred to civil-military relations. Different from the stable and developed American society, China is undergoing sensitive interest competition and social stratification. Therefore, complicated and interrelated social problems could quite possibly lead to trouble in civil-military relations. Most civil-military disputes over economic rights can be solved through compensation, negotiation and judiciary procedures. Economic problems caused by non-essential military fuctions or behaviors will badly damage civil-military integrity. It actually calls for a more regular PLA. In addition, allocation of financial resources between American defense needs and social wellbeing has witnessed a competitive relationship, which might be inevitable in China's future civil-military relations. With regard to civil-military ideaistic discordance, China and the United States are facing opposite circumstances. U.S. militaristic behavior collides with domestic peace and anti-war appeals. American public are concerned about the cultural separation between military professional culture and mainstream individualism in society. The PLA holds a rational and cautious attitude in security issues and it would confront with criticism from extreme nationalists, whose voice should be prevented by military and government from spreading. As for value communication, the PLA must consolidate its core values and avoid erosion and infiltration by external harmful thoughts.Management mechanism of civil-military relations has made much progress in many aspects. Sentimental factors and administrative intervention are losing their significant role in China's civil-military relations, and rule of law and communication have been adopted into a new modern management model. With respect to division of organizations, American government has extended its roles to meet increasing war demands, and non-profit organizations (NPOs) act as a bond and complementary supporter. Chinese government, the CCP and NPOs are adjusting their roles in social development and politicl reforms. In managing civil-military relations, functions of Chinese government are highlighted, the CCP is the macro controller and coordinator, and NPOs are under-developed. In constructing legal system in civil-military relations, America still follows its prevention-first principle and strives to encourage mutual ties at the same time. China's legal construction efforts aim at strengthening civil-military cooperation and unity, leaving prevention at a second place. Previous vaccum in Chinese law system has been partly filled by making special laws and integrating law-making into national legal construction. Military-media relations are crucial to civil-military relations in the information era. U.S. military has made new changes in its public affairs, accumulating rich experience in military-media cooperation. The PLA is just beginning to cooperate with local media, and rigid institution and obsolete thoughts must be changed.Model of civil-military relations serves the CCP's leadership and the active defense strategy in China and the bourgeoisie government's rule and the global expanding strategy in the United States. U.S. armed forces emphasized its fuctional demand and organizational characteristics, while the PLA tried its best to balance political requirement and functional demand. Generally speaking, the core of American divide model lies in civil-military dichotomy and mutual noninterference. U.S. military possesses high autonomy in civi-military interaction and seeks social support mainly through internal organizational adjustment. Efficient link and weak reflect are the main characteristics of the divide model. Civil-military cooperation model places emphasis on unity of the two sides and mutual support. The PLA develops civil-military relations through both internal policy changes and external activities.In the past 30 years, the CCP had successfully united the PLA and the Chinese people to contribute to the construction of socialist nation of Chinese characteristics. To promote healthy and stable development of civil-military relations in future China, political intention and military functional demand must be balanced, all-round and structured relations should be established between the PLA and social stratums, the PLA's efficiency-oriented policy must be respected in order to avoid disturbance from civil society, government's role must be strengthened and cooperation between the PLA and local media should be encouraged.