OneofthedefiningfeaturesofChina'spoliticalsystemhasbeenthe
preeminentroleoftheChineseCommunistPartyinthepolitical,economic,andsocialrealms.WhiletheCCPmaintainsamonopolyonlegitimatepoliticalorganization,twodecadesofreformhaveweakened
itscapacitytomonitorandcontrolthebehaviorofnotonlythevast
majorityofitscitizensbutitsofficialsaswell.Whiletheparty'sgrowingirrelevanceineverydaylifemaybenefiteconomicandsocialprogress,
itisalsoharderforthepartytomaintainpoliticalstabilityatthelocal
level.Thepartyfacesthechallengesofpartybuildinginthedynamic
privatesector,ofmaintainingitscontroloverthenewlyformedeconomicandsocialorganizations,andtoforestallsocialdemandsforpo-
liticalchange.Itssuccessinfacingthesechallengesmaydeterminehow
wellitcancopewiththeprospectsofrisingunemployment,displaced
labor,stagnantorfallingstandardsofliving,andthegeneraluncertainty
createdbytheinitiationofanewsetofreformsatthe15'hPartyCongressin1997,andultimatelywhetheritcanpreserveChina'spolitical
stabilityatatimeofrapideconomicandpoliticalchange.
