Just like China, Africa should choose democratic politics according to its own conditions.

The 18^th National Congress of the CPC (Communist Party of China), otherwise known as the Chinese people’s political consultative conference begun in earnest in Beijing, China. Delegates from all over China gathered at the great hall of the people from November 8 to 14, 2012 to elect new leaders that will serve in the Political Bureau; the highest ruling body of the CPC. Almost concurrently, the People of the United States were conducting their general elections to elect a new president of the United States of America. This leadership transition in the world’s two biggest economies provided an opportunity for both experts and amateurs to analyze the differences in the political systems of the largest and second largest economies. Unfortunately, most analysts, including Africans, have made their analysis from a purely western democratic notion and failed to be objective in their conclusions about the Chinese democratic political system.

Most African states look up to the United States and other western countries as their ideal role models when it comes to political systems and managing their affairs. Democracy was used as a tool to judge good states and rogue states and most African countries copied western political systems in their pure form without considering their own internal conditions. Some have thrived under those systems and have continued to hold peaceful regular general elections, and many others like Kenya have fallen and keep falling victim to ethnic confrontation, social unrest and economic stagnation. 

There is no perfect political system model that can be applied across the world. Every country shall explore the political development road suitable for its own characteristics, as well as its own political logic.Our copycat versions often led to unexpected or even counterproductive effects. No single country has developed or matured enough to conduct the perfect elections, even the United States. 20 States in the United States of America are now petitioning to have them Secede from the federal Union as a result of the just concluded elections. 

As the Communist party of China undertook the once in a decade leadership transition in Beijing, the Chinese leadership reiterated that it will strive to improve the system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the CPC leadership but shall never copy the political systems and development patterns of foreign countries. Admittedly, the Chinese leadership acknowledges that the democratic political system is still developing and needs to be further improved.

Since the ancient Greeks put forward the concept of Democracy more than 2500 years ago, mankind has made steady efforts to attain this ideal, and tremendous progress has been made, however, no country or people have achieved the goal of a perfect democracy. Democracy is a historical process that is relative and keeps with different levels of economic, political and cultural development with the overall development of the society. That is why young democracies face more challenges than the more mature democracies.

The system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC is the basic political system in China. Its formation and development have been the inevitable choice of China’s historical development.  China copied the multi-party system from the west after the revolution of 1911, which was later replaced by the Kuomintang’s one-party dictatorship. Both experiments failed. Facing a striking contrast between suppressions and persecutions, class alliances with competing interests and endless chaos, the non-communist parties in China forged bonds of unity and cooperation and stood together with the CPC in the protracted revolutionary struggles that culminated in the system of multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC. 

In 1948, the CPC convened a new political consultative conference establishing a democratic coalition government. It comprised of representatives of the CPC, opposition parties, persons without political affiliation, people’s organizations, and representatives of localities, the people’s liberation army, ethnic minorities, overseas Chinese and all patriotic democrats. Through the CPC, people of all walks of life and groups with diverse faiths, views, affiliations and interests were united. With the realization that China could not be governed with competing interest, the Chinese people forged a strong solidarity not only ideologically and politically, but also organizationally.

The system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the CPC is a special feature and advantage of China’s political system. It is the system that has enabled China to grow and achieve its potential. The CPC and the non-communist parties hold democratic consultations on major state issues and make decisions on a scientific basis and exercise supervision over each other, resulting in improved CPC leadership and strengthening other parties’ roles in national affairs. This system has been successful in avoiding political upheavals resulting from multiparty rivalry and fighting for power. It also avoids drawbacks resulting from one party rule and lack of supervision. African countries should learn from the Chinese and forge their own independent path to peace and prosperity and stop following the west blindly.