Hayes, Anna (2025) Dealing with Dissent. In: Hillman, Ben, and Ji, Fengyuan, (eds.) The Communist Party of China: Understanding the Durability of the World's Most Powerful Political Organization. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, pp. 263-289.

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Abstract

In China, dissent can be anything the Communist Party of China (CPC) decides is a threat to its existence. It follows that a key source of CPC power has been its ability to manage or eliminate any form of dissent, and to weaken, co-opt, or destroy any organization or individual who does not express or demonstrate loyalty to the party. This includes “nonpatriotic” religious organizations or groups, ethnic groups that have shown any tendencies toward “separatism” or divided loyalties (Tibetans’ loyalty to the Dalai Lama, for example), nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), rights lawyers, and activists. The party seeks co-option wherever possible, deploying its large and well-resourced United Front Work Department (UFWD) for such purposes. However, the party will not hesitate to use coercive means to subdue dissent or deter anyone deemed to be insufficiently aligned with the party’s “socialist core values.” It forcefully deploys mechanisms of surveillance and control against all groups and individuals deemed to threaten party legitimacy.

This chapter examines the ways in which the party secures and enforces nationwide loyalty to its political leadership and ruling ideologies, including in the border regions of Xinjiang, Tibet, and, more recently, Hong Kong. It argues that while the massive amount of spending on digital surveillance has attracted considerable scholarly attention, it is necessary to situate such tactics within the historical narrative of how the party has dealt with dissent, including before it came to power. The institutions and practices identified here have played, and continue to play, a significant role in the effort to eradicate or silence dissent within China.

Item ID:	90288
Item Type:	Book Chapter (Research - B1)
ISBN:	9781009668385
Keywords:	Communist Party of China, dissent, Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong, Uyghur, Falun Gong, Taiwan, Xi Jinping, digital totalitarianism
Copyright Information:	© Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2026
Date Deposited:	15 Jan 2026 02:25
FoR Codes:	43 HISTORY, HERITAGE AND ARCHAEOLOGY > 4303 Historical studies > 430301 Asian history @ 30% 44 HUMAN SOCIETY > 4408 Political science > 440807 Government and politics of Asia and the Pacific @ 70%
SEO Codes:	23 LAW, POLITICS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES > 2302 Government and politics > 230203 Political systems @ 100%
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