ABSTRACT
The Chinese political system entails many institutional and legal regulations. De facto operation of the system, however, is quite different from these stipulations. The relationship between the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and the Marxism-Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought Institute can be used to illustrate de facto operation—the nonprocedural characteristics of the Chinese political system. According to administrative regulations, CASS is a national-level organ under the State Council. As such, its president and vice presidents must be appointed by the State Council. Because they are of ministerial rank, these appointments must be approved by the National People's Congress (NPC). The secretary of the party group in an institute is appointed by the party group of CASS and reports to the Central Organization Department for its approval. Changes of party leaders in an institute must be reported by the party committee of CASS to the Party Committee for Organs Directly Subordinate to the center.
