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China Political Role of the People's Liberation Army
Deng Xiaoping's efforts in the 1980s to reduce the political
role of the military stemmed from his desire to reassert civilian
control over the military and to promote military modernization. To
accomplish his objectives, Deng revitalized the civilian party
apparatus and leadership and built a consensus on the direction of
national policy. He also established personal control over the
military through personnel changes, and he reduced the scope of the
PLA's domestic political, economic, and social roles. Finally, he
strengthened party control over the military through institutional
reforms and political and ideological education. The revitalization
of the party and the establishment of a consensus on national
policy assured top military leaders of political stability and a
vigorous party capable of handling national and regional affairs
without extensive military participation
(see China and the Four Modernizations, 1979-82
, ch. 1).
Deng's personal political control was established over the
military through his assumption of the position of chairman of the
party Central Military Commission in June 1981 and through his
appointment of his supporters to key positions in the party Central
Military Commission, Ministry of National Defense, and the PLA's
General Staff Department, General Political Department, and General
Logistics Department. Occasional replacement of military region and
military district commanders also strengthened Deng's hand.
Military leaders who objected to Deng's policies were replaced with
more amenable personnel.
The creation of the state Central Military Commission in 1982
aimed to further strengthen civilian control over the military by
stressing the PLA's role as defender of the state and by
establishing another layer of supervision parallel to party
supervision. The civilianization of several PLA corps and internal
security units reduced the size of the PLA and the scope of its
involvement in civilian affairs. The placement of defense
industries under civilian control and the transfer or opening up of
military facilities, such as airports and ports, to civilian
authorities also limited the PLA's influence in economic and
political matters. Propaganda using the PLA as a model for society
also diminished, and emphasis was placed on the PLA's military
rather than political role.
Data as of July 1987
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