Nationalization of the Military: Changing the Party-Controlled Nature of the PLA

Jul 01, 2024

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has a unique party-controlled nature, which has had significant negative impacts on China’s political and social landscape. This article critiques the current state of the PLA as a party-controlled army and advocates for the nationalization of the military to promote long-term stability in China.

I. The Party-Controlled Nature of the PLA

The “People’s Liberation Army” is different from the national defense forces of most countries; its uniqueness lies in its being the exclusive armed force of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), rather than the army of the Chinese state. This characteristic of the PLA stems from its historical origins and development.

The PLA’s predecessor was the Chinese Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army, established after the Nanchang Uprising in 1927. The Red Army was formed by the CCP to engage in armed struggle to overthrow the Nationalist government. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the PLA continued as the armed force of the CCP, performing the dual tasks of maintaining CCP rule and ensuring national security.

The highest leadership body of the PLA is the Central Military Commission (CMC), whose chairman is usually also the General Secretary of the CCP. This arrangement ensures the Party’s absolute control over the military. Senior military leaders are appointed by the CCP and must be loyal Communist Party members.

Within the PLA, strict political and ideological education is implemented to ensure the loyalty of soldiers to the Party, including studying the Party’s theories and policies. The military’s propaganda and education system aims to cultivate soldiers into staunch communists and loyal guardians of the Party.

II. The Negative Impact of the Party-Controlled Military

The party-controlled nature of the PLA has had several negative impacts on China’s political and social landscape.

As the armed force of the CCP, the PLA directly participates in political affairs, leading to an inappropriate fusion of military and political power. The primary duty of the military should be to defend national security and sovereignty, not to interfere in politics. The party-controlled nature of the PLA has caused the military to play an inappropriate political role in national governance, weakening the independence and authority of the government.

Due to the PLA’s subordination to the CCP’s political goals, military resources may be used to maintain the Party’s rule rather than serving national interests. For example, the Tiananmen Massacre in 1989 was an event where the CCP used military force to violently suppress a movement demanding democracy and anti-corruption. This incident fully demonstrated the PLA’s nature as the CCP’s party-controlled army and how the CCP utilizes the military to maintain its political control and dominance. Such misuse of resources and power not only exacerbates domestic social tensions but also draws international condemnation.

The CCP’s army (the People’s Liberation Army, PLA) and Nazi Germany’s Schutzstaffel (SS) share similarities, particularly in their loyalty to their respective parties and leaders and their roles in national politics. Here are some similarities:

1. Absolute Loyalty to the Party

  • PLA: The PLA is the armed force of the Chinese Communist Party, with its primary duty being to protect the CCP’s ruling status. The CCP strictly controls the PLA through the Central Military Commission to ensure the military’s absolute loyalty to the Party.
  • SS: The SS was the primary armed force of the Nazi Party, initially formed by Hitler as the Schutzstaffel (SS). It later developed into a large military and police organization, directly loyal to Hitler and the Nazi Party.

2. Ideological Control and Political Education

  • PLA: The CCP controls the PLA through political and ideological education and strict Party discipline, ensuring soldiers’ loyalty and ideological consistency with the Party.
  • SS: SS members received rigorous education in Nazi ideology, emphasizing loyalty to the Führer and the Party’s ideology. SS members were indoctrinated with Nazi racism and extreme nationalism.

3. Structure and Organization

  • PLA: The PLA is directly led by the CCP, with the CMC chairman usually being the CCP General Secretary, reflecting the Party’s absolute control over the military. Senior military leaders are appointed by the CCP to ensure their loyalty.
  • SS: The SS was led by Himmler and reported directly to Hitler. Senior SS officers were also appointed by the Nazi Party, ensuring their loyalty and obedience to the Party.

4. Involvement in Political Affairs

  • PLA: Deeply involved in domestic political affairs.
    • Legislative and Administrative Influence: Senior PLA leaders hold important positions in national institutions such as the National People’s Congress and the State Council, directly influencing legislative and administrative decisions.
    • Policy Formulation and Execution: Senior PLA leaders participate in the formulation of major national policies, especially those related to defense and security.
    • Political Propaganda and Education: The PLA conducts political and ideological education within the military to ensure soldiers’ loyalty to the CCP, which is also part of its involvement in political affairs.
    • Power Struggles: The PLA plays a key role in power struggles within the CCP, such as by supporting certain factions or leaders to consolidate power.
  • SS: The SS in Nazi Germany was not only a military organization but also deeply involved in domestic politics.
    • Legislative and Administrative Influence: Senior SS leaders held important positions in Nazi Germany’s legislative and administrative institutions, directly influencing legislative and administrative decisions.
    • Policy Formulation and Execution: The SS played a central role in formulating and executing Nazi racial policies. The SS, through agencies like the Gestapo and the Security Police (SD), also formulated and enforced domestic security policies.
    • Political Propaganda and Education: The SS conducted strict political and ideological education within its ranks to ensure absolute loyalty to the Nazi Party and Hitler. The SS also actively participated in Nazi propaganda activities.
    • Power Struggles: The SS played a key role in power struggles within the Nazi Party, and the SS was crucial in Hitler’s consolidation of power.

5. Internal Repression and Control

  • PLA: The PLA has been used in some instances to suppress domestic political opposition and maintain the CCP’s rule. For example, the Tiananmen Massacre is a typical case where the CCP leadership directly ordered the PLA to enter Beijing, impose martial law, and eventually use force to suppress unarmed demonstrators. This decision reflects the PLA’s role as a party-controlled army executing the Party’s orders.
  • SS: The SS was widely used for internal repression, actively suppressing internal resistance movements in Germany, including communists, social democrats, and other anti-Nazi organizations. The Gestapo and other SS departments dismantled domestic opposition through infiltration, arrests, and executions.

III. The Necessity of Military Nationalization

1. Preventing the Misuse of the Military by Political Parties

Military nationalization ensures that the military is not used by a political party or leader to maintain personal power or political interests. This prevents the military from being misused for domestic repression or to suppress political opposition, thereby preserving the fairness and legitimacy of the political process.

2. Promoting the Rule of Law

Military nationalization means that the military will strictly adhere to the constitution and laws, executing laws and policies enacted by the state. This helps prevent the military from exceeding its legal authority, abusing force, or violating citizens’ rights while performing its duties. A nationalized military operates more transparently and is subject to independent auditing and oversight, ensuring that military decisions and actions comply with national and international law standards. This transparency and accountability help increase public trust in the military and prevent corruption and power abuse.

3. Enhancing National Security

Military nationalization allows the military to focus on national security and defense tasks without being entangled in domestic political affairs. This helps improve the military’s professionalism and combat effectiveness, ensuring that it can operate efficiently in response to external threats. A military independent of party control reduces the risk of military command confusion and inefficiency due to political interference. A nationalized military can conduct strategic deployments and resource allocation based on professional military judgment, improving overall military efficiency and combat capability.

4. Maintaining Social Stability

Military nationalization can reduce internal conflicts and social unrest caused by military involvement in domestic politics. As the nation’s armed force, the military’s non-involvement in partisan struggles helps maintain social harmony and stability. A nationalized military is more likely to protect citizens’ rights when performing domestic duties, avoiding arbitrary arrests, repression, and violence driven by political tasks. This can strengthen citizens’ trust in the government and military, promoting social cohesion.

5. Improving International Image

A nationalized military reflects a country’s adherence to modern governance principles and can establish the image of a responsible major power. In the international community, a nationalized military can better fulfill international obligations, participate in peacekeeping operations, and engage in international cooperation.

IV. Paths to Achieving Military Nationalization

Achieving military nationalization requires efforts in both institutional reform and ideological education, gradually moving the military away from Party control to become an armed force that genuinely serves the nation and its people.

First, the Central Military Commission (CMC) system should be reformed to ensure its independence from direct CCP control. Consideration could be given to establishing an independent national military commission, appointed by the head of state, with members including senior officers from all branches of the military and military experts, rather than being limited to CCP officials.

Second, legal means should be used to clarify the status of military nationalization. For example, relevant clauses could be added to the constitution, stating that the military’s duty is to defend national security and sovereignty and prohibiting it from participating in political affairs. At the same time, relevant laws should be enacted to regulate the management and operation of the military, ensuring its independence and neutrality.

Finally, within the military, ideological education reform should be promoted, ending the indoctrination of Party political ideology and enhancing education on loyalty to the nation and its people. Diverse educational content and methods can be used to cultivate soldiers’ awareness of independent thinking and serving the country.

Conclusion

Achieving military nationalization is an important step toward realizing political civilization and modern governance in China. Through institutional reform, legal guarantees, and ideological education, the military can gradually be moved away from Party control, transforming it into a force that genuinely serves the nation and its people. Only in this way can China establish the image of a responsible major power on the international stage and earn the respect and trust of the international community.

– This text was translated by AI. –