Disidai (review)

Since 1949, when the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) gained political power, it has undergone four changes, four generations, in its leadership. Mao Zedong (1949-76) was succeeded by Deng Xiaoping (1978-97), who was succeeded by Jiang Zemin (1989-). The leader of the fourth generation, Hu Jintao, is now assuming power. Each change in leadership was a transformation, unique in its meaning and not susceptible to general rules or principles written in any version of the party constitution. The transition from the first to the second generation took two years (1976-78) of serious struggle. The transition from the second to the third commenced at the time of the Tiananmen massacre (1989) and was not truly complete even by 1997, when Deng died. The most recent (2003) transition looks likely to be peaceful, but Jiang remains chairman of the CCP military committee, and it is important to recall that the People's Liberation Army belongs to the CCP and not to the state. Thus, while he serves as chairman of the People's Republic, Hu is the leader of China in name only. Seven of the nine people described in Disidai are now in the top rank of the fourth generation. It will be interesting to see when and precisely what will transpire when the true transition—and thus transformation—happens from the third to the fourth generation (and how many years it will take).