What CPC’s century of ‘selfless service’ teaches Africa’s political parties

URUMQI, XINJIANG, CHINA: THE book Hundred Years of the Communist Party of China—The Best Example of Selfless Service by S M Hali, a Pakistan Air Force veteran whom I recommend many politicians read, offers a valuable starting point for examining a crucial question of the twenty-first century: Why has the Communist Party of China (CPC), after more than a century of struggle and over seventy years in power, not undergone the political decline that many long-standing political parties typically face? The book portrays the CPC as a political entity whose continued existence relies on its capacity to adapt, implement reforms, correct errors, engage society and maintain a development-oriented mission. At its 2021 launch, Hali emphasised the party’s progressive approach, openness to self-reflection and course correction and its contribution to China’s transformation through science, technology and national development.

This does not imply that China faces no economic, demographic, social, or geopolitical challenges, nor that the CPC’s political system should be directly replicated elsewhere. Instead, the key question for Africa is, what lessons in institutions and development can be learned from China’s experience? The initial lesson is that a political party should have a clear development mission.

The CPC’s continued strength is partly due to its legitimacy being tied to national progress. Its historical resolution states that its founding goal was to bring happiness to the Chinese people and to revive the Chinese nation. This principle has been incorporated into long-term national initiatives such as industrialisation, infrastructure development, poverty alleviation, technological progress, education, urbanisation and a growing focus on innovation-driven growth.

This contrasts sharply with a political culture in which parties primarily serve as election tools. In many African nations, parties are highly active during elections but tend to become less involved in implementing long-term development initiatives once elections are over. The Chinese experience suggests that political legitimacy is strengthened when citizens can associate a political organisation with tangible improvements in their lives.

The second lesson: Adaptability is more important than ideological rigidity. The book’s emphasis on the CPC’s capacity for selfreflection and course correction is e…