Rejuvenating Communism: Youth Organizations and Elite Renewal in Post-Mao China

Despite the decreasing importance of ideology and the alternative career options provided by a liberalized employment market, working for the administration remains one of the most coveted career paths for young Chinese. What motivates young and educated Chinese to commit to a long-term career in the party-state? These issues are central to the Chinese regime’s ability to renew its elite, maintain its cohesion, and survive. In this talk, Jérôme Doyon presents his new book, Rejuvenating Communism, which examines how young Chinese officials’ political commitment and ambition are cultivated. Doyon focuses on the experience of cadres within the Chinese Communist Party’s youth organizations, and in particular the Chinese Communist Youth League, to study officials-to-be.

Jérôme Doyon is an Assistant Professor at the Centre for International Relations (CERI) at Sciences Po Paris.