China — Mao period (1949–1976)
China
Basis for the estimate: Collectivization, Great Leap Forward, Cultural Revolution, one-party rule.
Official system and how it worked in practice
| Official system | Socialist state led by the Chinese Communist Party (one-party state) |
|---|---|
| In practice | Closed autocracy no multiparty elections for the chief executive |
“In practice” is V-Dem’s Regimes of the World classification for China, 1949–1976, from expert-coded data (V-Dem Regimes of the World (v2x_regime), V-Dem dataset v16, March 2026). V-Dem codes each country as it stood at the end of each year, so the first and last years can reflect the previous or next government. The official system is the constitutional form during the period.
Political placement
| Map dimension | Score (0–100) | Position | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economic Collective / planned ↔ Market | 1 | strongly toward collective / planned | |
| Social Progressive ↔ Traditional | 31 | toward progressive | |
| Authority Libertarian ↔ Authoritarian | 93 | strongly toward authoritarian | |
| National identity Cosmopolitan ↔ Nationalist | 75 | toward nationalist | |
| Foreign policy Non-intervention ↔ Intervention | 55 | near the center |
All nine underlying dimensions
| Dimension | Score | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Economic ownership Collective ownership ↔ Private ownership | 1 | strongly toward collective ownership |
| Civil liberties Civil liberty ↔ State restrictions | 86 | strongly toward state restrictions |
| National identity Cosmopolitan ↔ Nationalist | 75 | toward nationalist |
| Social and cultural values Progressive ↔ Traditionalist | 35 | near the center |
| Political governance Democratic ↔ Autocratic | 100 | strongly toward autocratic |
| Equality and hierarchy Egalitarian ↔ Hierarchical | 41 | near the center |
| Economic management Free market ↔ State planning | 100 | strongly toward state planning |
| Military intervention Non-intervention ↔ Intervention | 55 | near the center |
| Religion and government Secular state ↔ Religious authority | 20 | toward secular state |
Country and government scores interpret the policies of a specific government or period; they are not an authoritative ranking of countries, and official constitutional structures can differ from how power is exercised in practice. How scores are made.
Key positions (estimated)
| Statement | Position | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Religious doctrine should take precedence over civil law when they conflict. | Strongly disagrees | estimated |
| Governments should be able to require vaccination during a public health emergency. | Strongly agrees | from their record |
| A single ruling party can govern more effectively than a competitive multiparty system. | Strongly agrees | estimated |
| The means of production should ultimately be owned collectively. | Agrees | estimated |
| Markets generally distribute goods more effectively than government planners. | Strongly disagrees | estimated |
| National borders should become less important over time. | Strongly disagrees | estimated |
| Same-sex couples should have the same right to marry as opposite-sex couples. | Strongly agrees | estimated |
| Reducing the gap between rich and poor should be a major government goal. | Strongly agrees | estimated |
| Non-intervention should be the default even when allies request military assistance. | Strongly disagrees | estimated |
| A government-run health insurance option should be available to everyone. | Strongly agrees | estimated |
Closest ideologies
Most similar governments
Sources
- Wikipedia: History of the People's Republic of China (1949–1976) (Wikipedia search)
Last reviewed October 11, 2026.