Midterm #2: Study Guide

Introduction to Politics in East Asia

Prof. P. Maclachlan
China Unit

(Spring 2015)

The second midterm exam this semester will be held on Thursday,

April 16, and like the first exam, will take 1 hours to complete. It will
cover ONLY the China unit (i.e., this exam is not cumulative). You will
not need a bluebook. The exam has a total of 80 points and will be
structured as follows:

PART I: True and false, multiple-choice, very short answer questions.

Questions will be based on lectures and discussions. (Same format as
first exam.) Total points: 20

PART II: Short answer (max. 3-4 sentences) questions. The questions
will be based on both the lectures and the list (List A) of terms and
personalities (drawn from Lieberthal) attached below. Total points: 20

PART III: Paragraph Question (Lieberthal). There will be two questions

in this section, both of them drawn from List B. You will be asked to
answer one of them in a complete paragraph (about 8-10 sentences).
Total points: 20

PART IV: Paragraph Question. Again, you will be given a choice of two
questions; answer one of them. These questions will focus on the
Economy, Nathan, and Liu & Chen readings.

There will be a bonus question on the exam worth 2 points that will be
drawn from List A or the Economy, Nathan, or Liu & Chen readings.

TIPS for doing well on this exam.

1. This exam is designed to test three types of knowledge: 1)

your understanding of basic (not obscure) facts, events,
personalities etc. of Chinese politics; 2) your understanding of
key concepts (communism, rule of law, etc.) and their
application to Chinese politics; 3) your understanding of the
main arguments of the readings.
2. Carefully read ALL the assigned book chapters and articles,
and review all the lectures.
3. Do not answer more than the required number of questions in
Parts III and IV. Your answers in these sections should be
 organized around a clear argument (i.e., point of view +
supporting evidence.)

LIST A (Terms/Personalities from Lieberthals Governing

China): Know what Lieberthal has to say about these incidents,
people etc. in addition to what we discussed in class

Great Leap Forward Hua Guofeng

Cultural Revolution Mao Zedong
Tiananmen Square Incident Deng Xiaoping
National Peoples Congress Zhao Ziyang
Central Committee Jian Zemin
Politburo Hu Jintao
Standing Committee of the Politburo Danwei
Military Affairs Commission State-Owned
Enterprise
State Council Xitong

Rule of law vs. rule by law

LIST B: Interpretive Questions about Governing China. Two of

the following questions will be listed in Part III of the exam,
and you will be asked to answer one of them. Your answers
should showcase your knowledge of the book!

1. Why was Mao so powerful?

2. Why did Deng Xiaoping want to change Chinas system of
leadership succession? To what extent did he succeed?
3. Give some examples of corruption in the Chinese political
system. What effects does corruption have on the legitimacy
of that system?
4. There are two broad entities in the Chinese political system,
the CCP and the state? Who controls whom? Give an
example of how that control is exercised.
5. What is the WTO? Why was it important for China to gain
admission to it? What did China have to do to achieve that
goal?
6. Why are Chinese conceptualizations of human rights different
from those of the U.S. and many other Western countries?
Please note that no bathroom breaks will be permitted during the
exam.