Table of Contents
Preface v
Glossary of Terms xi
Table of Acronyms xvii
Table of Cases xix
Table of Legislation xxi
1 A Century of Turmoil: An Overview of China's Constitutional Reform and Revolutions 1
I Introduction: The Dawn of a Constitutional Moment 1
II Constitutional Elements in the Ancient Regime and Their Limitations 5
III The First Republic: The Nationalist Revolution of 1911 18
IV Why Revolutions Fail to Bring about Constitutionalism 33
Further Reading 38
2 The New Constitutional Order of the People's Republic 39
I The Second Republic: The Communist Revolution of 1949 40
II The 1982 Constitution 48
III Constitutional Amendments 55
IV Constitutional Transformations 59
Further Reading 74
3 Governing the Goliath: China's Central and Local Relations 75
I Introduction: The Sun Zhigang Tragedy 75
II The Constitutional Landscape 81
III Keeping Laws in Order 84
IV Bottom-Up or Top-Down? Rule of the Party Reinforced 97
V Pluralism within a Unitary System 108
Further Reading 118
4 Democracy with Chinese Characteristics? The Role of the People's Congresses 121
I Introduction: Supremacy by Rubber Stamp? 121
II The National People's Congress (NPC) 124
III The NPC Standing Committee (NPCSC 130
IV Local People's Congresses (LPCs) 138
V How to Make Democracy Work 143
Further Reading 147
5 Administration of the State According to Law 149
I The Central Government 150
II Local Government 156
III Toward Administrative Rule of Law? 160
Further Reading 169
6 De-politicising the Judiciary 171
I Introduction: Establishing Judicial Review? 173
II Judicial Structure and Functions 176
III Judicial Reform: Necessities, Possibilities, Limits 185
Further Reading 196
7 The Contemporary Rights Revolution: Life, Liberty, Property and Equality 197
I Introduction: Back to the Sun Zhigang Model 197
II Equality 198
III Liberty 207
IV Property 215
Further Reading 222
8 Still Dormant: Political and Religious Rights 223
I Introduction: What the Sun Zhigang Model Cannot Do 223
II Freedom of Speech 225
III Freedom of Religion 241
IV The Right to Election 250
Further Reading 258
9 Conclusion: The Future of China's Constitutionalism 259
I Back to 1911? The On-going Saga of China's Constitutional Journey 259
II Toward the Third Republic? The Future of China's Constitutionalism 262
Further Reading 264
Index 265
