Constitution of the Communist Party of China

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Government Central People's Government
People's Republic of China
This article is part of the series: Politics and government of the People's Republic of China

Constitution Past constitutions: 1954 1975 1978
Guiding Political Ideologies Mao Zedong: Mao Zedong Thought Deng Xiaoping: Deng Xiaoping Theory Jiang Zemin: Three Represents Hu Jintao: Scientific Development Concept
President: Hu Jintao National People's Congress NPC Standing Committee Legislative system of the PRC
Premier: Wen Jiabao State Council People's Liberation Army Central Military Commission
Law of the PRC Supreme People's Court Supreme People's Procuratorate Judicial system of the PRC
Communist Party of China Constitution General Secretary National Congress Central Committee Secretariat Politburo Politburo Standing Committee CPPCC Minor Political Parties
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The Constitution of the Communist Party of China (CPC) (traditional Chinese: 中國共産黨章程; simplified Chinese: 中国共产党章程) has 53 Articles and includes contents of General Program, Membership, Organization System, Central Organizations, Local Organizations, Primary Organizations, Party Cadres, Party Discipline, Party Organs for Discipline Inspection, Leading Party Members' Groups, Relationship Between the Party and the Communist Youth League, Party Emblem and Flag.

The Party Constitution currently in force was adopted at the Twelfth National Congress of the CPC in September 1982. In accordance with the changing situation and tasks, revisions were made in some of the articles at the Thirteenth National Congress in November 1987 and in the General Program and some of the articles at the Fourteenth National Congress in October 1992, and a few revisions were made in the General Program at the Sixteenth National Congress of the CPC in November 2002.

The organizational principle that drives the political system of the PRC is "democratic centralism". Within the system, the democratic feature demands participation and expression of opinion on key policy issues from members at all levels of party organization. It depends on a constant process of consultation and investigation. At the same time, the centralist feature requires that subordinate organizational levels follow the dictates of superior levels. Once the debate has reached the highest level and decisions concerning policy have been made, all party members are obliged to support the Central Committee.

In the party constitution, and in other major policy statements, the CPC diminished the role of centralism by abolishing the post of party chairman, by prohibiting any future cult of personality, and by emphasizing the importance of collective leadership. The constitution emphasizes the party's role in promoting socialist democracy, in developing and strengthening a socialist legal system, and in consolidating public resolve to carry out the modernization program.