Theoretical and methodological foundations of modernization processes in contemporary China

This article provides a comprehensive theoretical and methodological analysis of modernization processes in 21st-century China. The study aims to define the conceptual foundations and specifics of the Chinese modernization model through the lens of the evolution of Western theories and internal socio-political dynamics. It is revealed that modernization in China is not a "catch-up" development following Western patterns but an institutionally and culturally specific variant. Its key features are: a socialist type of development under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), reliance on national traditions, and the adaptation of global experience. Using empirical data, the profound transformations of the social structure are analyzed. The study demonstrates the decline of agricultural employment (to 22.8%), the growth of the service sector, the rapid development of the digital economy, and the persistence of structural imbalances (youth unemployment, urban-rural divide). In contrast to Western theories emphasizing the spontaneity of the process, the article argues that the driving force of Chinese modernization is elite groups. Three stages of elite transformation are identified: the start of reforms (1978–1992), advanced differentiation (1992–2012), and the stage of institutionalized circulation (from 2012 to present). The key mechanism is managed cadre rotation, which ensures the integration of new actors (private entrepreneurs, technological elite) and prevents institutional stagnation. It is concluded that the success of China's modernization is due to the synthesis of economic and technological development (the base) and the managed transformation of the superstructure, a key element of which is the system of elite selection and circulation. The Chinese experience refutes the thesis of Westernization as the only path to progress and demonstrates the effectiveness of a model based on national sovereignty and the adaptive role of the state.

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