Law Dissemination Campaign in China: The Origin of Chinese Rule of Law Policy

Abstract

This article analyzes the law dissemination campaign (pufa huodong) that China has implemented for almost three decades, and sheds light on recent development of the rule of law policy in China. It first examines the background of the campaign. Then, the article delves into the process of the campaign as well as the legal knowledge education of leading cadres as a case study. Third, it takes stock of the campaigns achievements and limitations. This article suggests that the campaign has played a vital role in encouraging ordinary peoples legal practices. Furthermore, it argues that the campaign provided important experience by which China set the rule of law policy as a guiding principle of government at the 15th Party Congress in October 1997 and more recently the Fourth Plenum of 18th Central Committee of the CCP in October 2014.