The world is once again intent on China. Only this time it is seeking to understand not the country’s economic but its political trajectory – and whether its three decades of reform might be derailed. No one with experience of watching the annual sessions of the “rubber-stamp” legislature in Beijing would have expected it to end in such drama, with a blast from Wen Jiabao, the departing premier, that without political reform China could face a repeat of the Cultural Revolution – and then yesterday the purging of Bo Xilai, the maverick regional politician.
Mr Wen has laid bare the rift in China’s leadership about how the country will evolve. His comments have also sparked fresh reflection in the outside world on the merits of the so-called “China model”, combining authoritarian politics with an increasing role for the state in markets and economic affairs.
This model has gained credibility in the west in recent years, thanks to the crises in western economies. China’s model – call it “authoritarian capitalism” or “socialism with Chinese characteristics”– is seen as a potent alternative for governance. The crucial question, though, is whether it is the best option for China. The answer is no.