Industrial Administration in Communist China
| Author | Yu-Nan Chang |
| Published date | 01 December 1956 |
| DOI | 10.1177/106591295600900404 |
| Date | 01 December 1956 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
850
INDUSTRIAL
ADMINISTRATION
IN
COMMUNIST
CHINA
YU-NAN
CHANG*
N
THE
COMMUNIST
attempt
to
industrialize
the
nation,
industrial
~
administration
forms
a
major
part
of
public
administration
in
Commu-
nist
China.
For
this
discussion,
industrial
administration
will
concern
itself
with
the
organizational
pattern
and
the
political
process
by
which
policies
relating
to
industrialization
are
made
and
executed
and
controls
are
exercised.
The
role
industrialization
plays
in
Communist
Chinese
policy-making
cannot
be
overemphasized;
not
only
are
industrial
policies
reflected
in
ministerial
changes,
but
the
execution
of
these
policies
defines
somewhat
the
relationship
between
the
central
and
provincial
governments.
Since
1952,
the
increase
and
the
consolidation
of
ministries
in
the
central
government
were
made
according
to
the
course
of
industrialization.’
The
relationship
between
the
central
and
provincial
governments
also
under-
went
adjustments
corresponding
to
the
execution
of
the
First
Five
Year
Plan
(FFYP).
In
the
execution
of
economic
policies,
public
administration
in
Communist
China
is
complicated
by
the
fact
that
although
industrial
administration
demands
excessive
centralization,
both
in
planning
and
management,
the
administration
of
the
four
sectors
of
economy - the
state-owned,
the
joint
state-privately
owned,
the
co-operatively
owned,
and
the
privately
owned -
made
local-government
participation
necessary.
This
relationship
between
the
central
and
local
governments,
requiring
complete
local
subordination
yet
encouraging
local
creativeness
and
initiative,
is
strengthened
by
the
role
of
the
local
Communist
party
units
in
adminis-
tration.
These
local
party
organizations,
while
directly
participating
in
the
administration
of
local
industries,
exercise
a
check
on
industrial
establish-
ments
under
central
administration.
This
essay
attempts
to
shed
some
light
on
the
most
important
part
of
public
administration
in
Communist
China,
i.e.,
industrial
administration,
and
on
the
efficacy
of
the
party
in
its
attempt
to
industrialize
the
nation
-
a
test
that
may
well
give
a
measure
of
the
unity
and
strength
of
the
party.
*
Palo
Alto,
California.
1
Ministries
and
commissions
rose
from
a
total
of
30
in
1950
to
33
in
1952,
and
to
38
in
1955
(plus
21
subordinate
organs
and
8
administrative
offices).
Ministries
directly
in
charge
of
industrial
administration
rose
from
5
in
1949
to
7
in
1952,
and
to
11
in
1955.
Ta
Kung
Pao
(Honk
Kong),
December
1,
1952,
p.
7,
and
Jen-min
shou-tse
1955
[People’s
Handbook
1955]
(Tientsin,
1955).
See
also
Current
Background,
March
7,
1955.
The
latest
decision
of
the
Standing
Committee
of
the
National
People’s
Congress
on
May
12,
1956,
again
altered
the
number
of
ministries
under
the
State
Council.
Two
commissions,
10
ministries
and
2
administrative
bureaus
(plus
the
National
Survey
and
Map
Bureau
in
January,
1956)
were
established,
while
3
ministries
and
1
admini-
strative
bureau
were
abolished.
The
total
number
of
ministries
and
commissions
is
now
47,
plus
8
administrative
offices
and
23
subordinate
organs.
Peking
Broadcasting,
May
14,
1956.
851
I
Under
the
September
1954
Constitution,
the
State
Council
is
designated
as
&dquo;the
executive
of
the
highest
organ
of
state
power
and
the
highest
ad-
ministrative
organ
of
the
state.&dquo;
It
is
charged
with
the
duty
of
co-ordinat-
ing
and
leading
the
work
of
its
ministries
and
commissions
and
of
the
local
administrative
organs
of
state
-
province,
city,
county,
down
to
hsiang
(group
of
villages)
-
and
putting
into
effect
the
national
economic
plans
and
provisions
of
the
state
budget.
The
Organic
Law
of
the
State
Council
provides
for
the
organization
of
ministries,
commissions,
special
subordinate
organs,
and
administrative
offices
under
the
State
Council.
Ministries
and
commissions
are
standing
organizations,
while
the
subordinate
organs
take
charge
of
matters
of
a
special
nature
(Articles
2
and
6
of
the
Law).
The
eight
administrative
officers3
are
established
to
assist
the
premier
in
directing
the
work
of
the
different
ministries.
These
offices
are
occupied
either
by
senior
ministers
or
party
secretaries
who
act
as
co-ordinators
and
form
a
channel
through
which
the
premier
is
informed
of
the
ministerial
work.
Since
these
offices
are
not
established
by
the
Standing
Committee
of
the
National
People’s
Congress,
&dquo;the
highest
legislative
authority
of
the
nation,&dquo;
their
acts
are
not
legally
binding
upon
the
ministries,
and,
theoretically,
their
power
is
merely
advisory.
Directly
associated
with
the
administration
of
industrial
affairs
are
three
of
the
eight
administrative
offices
(the
third
and
fourth
offices
dealing
with
heavy
and
light
industries,
and
the
eighth,
socialistic
transformation
of
private
enterprises),
fourteen
industrial
ministries,
and
two
subordinate
organs:
the
State
Statistics
Bureau
and
the
Central
Industry
and
Com-
merce
Administrative
Bureau.
To
plan
and
supervise
the
execution
of
the
industrial
plan
set
forth
in
the
FFYP
is
the
responsibility
of
the
two
commissions,
the
State
Planning
Commission
(formerly
called
the
State
Planning
Committee)
and
the
National
Construction
Commission,
estab-
lished
in
November,
1952,
and
in
September,
1954,
respectively.
The
May
12,
1956,
decision
added
two
more
commissions
under
the
State
Council
-
the
National
Economic
Commission
and
the
National
Techno-
logical
Commission.
2
Text
of
the
Constitution
and
the
organic
laws
of
the
People’s
Congresses,
the
State
Council,
and
the
People’s
Courts,
and
other
related
documents
promulgated
at
the
First
Session
of
the
First
National
People’s
Congress
are
found
in
Chung-hua
jen-min
kung
ho-kuo
ti-i-chieh
chuan-kuo
jen-min
tai-piao
ta-hui
ti-i-tz’u
hui-i
wen-chien
[Compendium
of
Documents
of
the
First
Session
of
the
First
National
People’s
Con-
gress]
(Peking,
1955).
3
Functions
of
the
eight
administrative
offices
are:
public
safety,
culture
and
education,
heavy
industry,
light
industry,
finance
and
trade,
transportation
and
commerce,
agri-
culture
and
water
conservation,
and
united
front,
socialistic
transformation,
overseas
Chinese
and
national
minorities.
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