The Logic and Conditions by Political Leaders in Authoritarian Regimes

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K13586
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 06010:Politics-related
• Research Institution: Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization (2020-2023); Tohoku University (2019)
• Principal Investigator: Naito Hiroko 独立行政法人日本貿易振興機構アジア経済研究所, 地域研究センター東アジア研究グループ, 研究員 (90801978)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 権威主義体制 / 法治 / 司法 / 中国共産党 / 人民法院

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research aims to explain the logic and conditions under which political leaders in authoritarian regimes implement the "rule of law". By focusing on the relationship between the Chinese Communist Party and the People's Courts, the research examines personnel changes in the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission from the late 1980s to the 1990s and the judicial reforms under the Xi Jinping administration.
From two cases, it was found that the logic behind political leaders promoting the "rule of law" in authoritarian regimes is to strengthen control over political elites. However, it was also discovered that the implementation at the local level does not always proceed as the political leaders intend. In particular, the research found that policy implementation at the local level is hindered when the region is large and when the degree of economic disparity within the region is high.

Free Research Field

政治学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまで、権威主義体制における「法治」は「法に依る支配（rule by law）」であり、民主主義体制における「法の支配（rule of law）」とは異なることから、たとえ権威主義体制の政治指導者が「法治」を推し進めたとしても、その機能、効果は限定的であると考えられていた。本研究は、権威主義体制の政治指導者の視点から、「法治」という民主的装置の権威主義的機能を再検討した点に学術的意義があると考える。