The China model debate: China as an alternative governance exporter?

Abstract

The rise of authoritarian powers like China has raised questions about the future of liberal democratic governance and the diffusion of alternative models. China's brand of developmentalism appeals to many in the developing world that are disappointed with Western blueprints, which have failed to deliver inclusive global growth. Given the political conditionalities of economic engagement with the European Union and other Western actors, the presumably no-strings-attached China Model appears preferable for some authoritarian and hybrid regimes. Despite the continued academic and public interest in the diffusion of the China Model, there is little agreement as to what the model actually entails. The conceptual ambiguity surrounding the China Model, in turn, limits our ability to analyze the diffusion of the model. The present chapter seeks to contribute to the search for conceptual clarity on the China Model by offering three ways to conceptualise it: the China Model as gradualistic and pragmatic policymaking; the China Model as a distinctive approach to ordering state-market relations; and, finally, the China Model as a combination of high economic growth with authoritarian resilience. Each conceptualisation is assessed in terms of its uniqueness to China and its exportability to other contexts.