Political Elite Selection in Contemporary Chinese Higher Education

In contemporary China, colleges and universities have become the most important source for the Communist Party of China (CPC) to select political elites. With reference to undergraduates in contemporary Chinese higher education, this article explores the impact of "redness" (family background and ideology) and professional accomplishments (academic achievements) on the selection of Party members. Findings in this study have shown that in Chinese higher education, one's "redness" and "professional" accomplishments remain the main standards to select political elites. First, ideology is the primary criterion for selection of Party members among college/university students. The "redder" one's ideology, the greater is the probability of one being selected for membership. Second, a stronger "red" family background could enhance one's likelihood of selection by the Party, but primarily for those who are in the lower study year in their university/college schooling. This is particularly evident if one's father is a government official, a state-owned enterprise manager or a Party member. Third, the "professional" accomplishment criterion appears to be increasingly important at the higher study years in the university. Specifically, junior and senior students who have higher academic rankings and student awards are associated with a higher probability of selection by the Party.