Administrative Law as a Mechanism for Political Control in Contemporary China

Abstract

No one would dispute that one of the key characteristics of administrative law in contemporary China is the dominance of administrative power. Compared to the rights of affected private parties, administrative power is staggeringly formidable; compared to more legally developed countries, the scope of administrative litigation leaves much of administrative behavior unchecked. It is widely held that China’s administrative law has been, at best, a rather limited instrument in guarding the rights of citizens.