Cronyism and Military Corruption in the Post-Deng Xiaoping Era: Rethinking the Party-Commands-the-Gun Model

This article considers why cronyism and military corruption remained rampant in the post-Deng Xiaoping era, despite the PLA's progress toward modernization and professionalization. In theory, the bifurcation of civilian and military elites and the demise of supreme leaders' provide the PLA with greater autonomy vis-a-vis the Party, whereas the persistence of personalistic power in decision-making creates opportunities for upper-level leaders to place trusted associates in key posts. The lack of effective checks and balances thus facilitates the misuse of power for private ends and gives rise to cronyism and corruption. Relatedly, the Party's command of the gun is at risk if and when the promotion of military officers conforms more to the exercise of personalistic power than to the prescribed procedures of Party control. Moreover, several major cases of military corruption reveal that the weakening of Party oversight may be a remedy worse than the disease.