China — Reform period under Deng (1978–1992)
China
Basis for the estimate: Market reforms and special economic zones under one-party rule; Tiananmen crackdown.
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, 1978–1992, 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 | 34 | toward collective / planned | |
| Social Progressive ↔ Traditional | 47 | near the center | |
| Authority Libertarian ↔ Authoritarian | 91 | strongly toward authoritarian | |
| National identity Cosmopolitan ↔ Nationalist | 70 | toward nationalist | |
| Foreign policy Non-intervention ↔ Intervention | 35 | near the center |
All nine underlying dimensions
| Dimension | Score | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Economic ownership Collective ownership ↔ Private ownership | 40 | near the center |
| Civil liberties Civil liberty ↔ State restrictions | 83 | toward state restrictions |
| National identity Cosmopolitan ↔ Nationalist | 70 | toward nationalist |
| Social and cultural values Progressive ↔ Traditionalist | 55 | near the center |
| Political governance Democratic ↔ Autocratic | 98 | strongly toward autocratic |
| Equality and hierarchy Egalitarian ↔ Hierarchical | 55 | near the center |
| Economic management Free market ↔ State planning | 75 | toward state planning |
| Military intervention Non-intervention ↔ Intervention | 35 | near the center |
| Religion and government Secular state ↔ Religious authority | 28 | 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 strong leader who gets things done matters more than following proper procedures. | Strongly agrees | estimated |
| National borders should become less important over time. | Strongly disagrees | estimated |
| Military power should be used proactively when serious external threats are emerging. | Strongly disagrees | estimated |
| The means of production should ultimately be owned collectively. | Disagrees | estimated |
| Regulations on business should be minimized whenever possible. | Strongly disagrees | estimated |
| Class distinctions should gradually disappear. | Strongly disagrees | estimated |
| A stable society depends on continuity between generations. | Agrees | estimated |
| Private companies should be allowed to run prisons and other core public facilities. | Disagrees | estimated |
Closest ideologies
Most similar governments
Sources
- Wikipedia: Reform and opening up (Wikipedia search)
Last reviewed October 11, 2026.