China's new Marxist nationalism: defining Xi Jinping's ideological worldview

Thesis

The thesis argues there has been a significant change in China’s ideological worldview under Xi Jinping compared with previous ideological orthodoxies under Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao. I summarise Xi’s worldview as a new form of “Marxist-Leninist Nationalism” (which I shorthand as “Marxist Nationalism”). I have chosen this term because it contains within it three core propositions. First, I argue Xi’s Leninism has taken both the party and Chinese politics in general to the left - where I define “left” as the reassertion of the power of the party over all public policy as well as elevating the position of the individual leader against the rest of collective leadership. Second, Xi’s notion of Marxism has similarly taken the centre of gravity of Chinese economic thought to the left - where I define “left” as meaning a new priority for party-state intervention in the economy, state-owned enterprises over the private sector and a new ideology of greater income equality. Third, Xi has also taken Chinese nationalism to the right - where I define “right” as a new assertion of Chinese national power as reflected in a new array of nationalist “banner terms” that are now used in the party’s wider ideological discourse. Furthermore, I argue these three sets of changes have occurred as part of a wider reification of the overall role of ideology under Xi Jinping. This has been seen in the fresh application of Marxist Leninist concepts of dialectical materialism, historical materialism, the primary stage of socialism, contradiction and struggle across the range of China’s current domestic and international challenges. The role of nationalism has also been enhanced within Xi’s new ideological framework. This hybrid form of Marxist Nationalist ideology is also being increasingly codified within the unfolding canon of Xi Jinping Thought.

Finally, the thesis argues that there is a high degree of correlation between these ideological changes on the one hand and changes in the real world of Chinese politics, economic policy and a more assertive foreign policy on the other - including a different approach to Chinese multilateral policy as observed by diplomatic practitioners at the UN in New York. The thesis concludes that these changes in Xi Jinping’s ideological worldview and its impact on Chinese politics and public policy is best explained by a theoretical framework that integrates Authoritarian Resilience Theory, the realist and constructivist insights of the English School of International Relations Theory, and Foreign Policy Analysis.

Authors: Rudd, K

• Type of award: DPhil
• Level of award: Doctoral
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English
• Keywords: Xi Jinping; China ideology