Chinese Journal of Society ›› 2019, Vol. 5 ›› Issue (1): 80-98.doi: 10.1177/2057150X18803581

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Constructing the idea of organization: Thought self-checks and the organizational review of cadres (1952-1960)

Jing Zhang   

  1. Department of Sociology, Peking University, Beijing, China
  • Online:2019-01-01 Published:2019-01-01
  • Contact: Jing Zhang, Department of Sociology, Peking University, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, China. Email: pkuzhangj@126.com

Abstract:

This paper explores the history of state power construction, focusing on the period of regime change and how the state constructed a new governance structure, according to the ideological examinations, work reports, year-end summaries, and organization and examination reports of some cadres in the 1950s. The focus of the article is an attempt to understand how the state constructed a new governance structure during this period of regime change. This paper shows the state used its unique organizational power to carry out a series of administrative activities for cadres and groups: cadres took turns laboring, carrying out self-thinking clean-ups, and organizing the group to exchange learning activities and to implement and systematically organize the trial and handling procedures, the trial of the cadres of the ideological performance of the classification, the formation of written records, and the establishment of a new assessment approach to cadre behavior to institutionalize the organization of personnel work. These processes laid the foundations for the initial institutionalization of the cadre selection and management system, followed by the development of principles that have been consolidated and refined. The obvious effect of this process was that the new behavior requirements and employment standards became widely practiced by urban cadres, the new standards were used to shape the cadres' own concerns and work ethics, and the cadres and new organizations were gradually constructed. These activities not only established organizational governance authority, but have also had a far-reaching influence on the behavior of cadres and their overall characteristics in terms of expression.

Key words: State building, organizational power, work ethic of cadres, organizational concept