What does this section of the article explain in the sequence of events that Xi used to make himself the undisputed authoritarian ruler of China? Discuss each section
What does this section of the article explain in the sequence of events that Xi used to
make himself the undisputed authoritarian ruler of China? Discuss each section
Crafting a Personal Brand:
In 2018 "Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era" was enshrined in China's constitution.
It may sound like a mouthful, but having an ideology named after him was something that cemented Mr Xi's legacy.
Before Mr Xi, only Chairman Mao achieved this. Even Deng Xiaoping, known as the architect of China's modernisation, only had a "theory" under his name, while Mr Xi's immediate predecessors, Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao, did not have any thought or theories attached to their names.
It's debatable what exactly Xi Jinping Thought means, but that's not the point, analysts say - it's a power move.
"Xi's thought is aimed primarily at strengthening Xi's own legitimacy and power above anyone else in the CCP and the country. It is part of a new personality cult that links up Xi not only to Mao but to the most glorious and successful Chinese emperors of yesteryear," says Jean-Pierre Cabestan, an emeritus professor of political science at Hong Kong Baptist University.
Dozens of universities and institutions, including the prestigious Peking University and Tsinghua University, have set up research centres under Mr Xi's names, according to Hong Kong newspaper Ming Pao.
In August, the Ministry of Education unveiled a plan to promote Xi Jinping Thought in the national curriculum.
In 2019, a mobile app called Xuexi Qiangguo - literally translated into "Learn from Xi, Strengthen the country" - that includes quizzes on Xi Jinping Thought was launched.
Mr Xi believes "he has the correct ideology, and everybody must accept it," says Andrew Nathan, a political science professor at Columbia University.
"Whenever Mao took a policy position, everybody else had to fall in line, and that is also true of Xi."
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