China is the world's second largest economic power, one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, and the only state led by a communist party in the G-20 group of major economies. The Chinese Communist Party dominates state and society in China and is committed to maintaining a permanent monopoly on power and is intolerant of those who question its right to rule. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP or Party) has been in power in China for 63 years, since 1949, thanks to its victory in the civil war over Chiang Kai-shek's nationalist forces. The Party's 82.6 million members make up about 6% of China's population of 1.34 billion. Any Chinese citizen over the age of 18 who is willing to accept and abide by the Party's constitution and policies, which include the requirement that Party members be atheists, can apply for Party membership. The Party is heavily male, with women making up less than a quarter of the total. Party members are considered prestigious, although not to the extent that it was in previous eras (Lawrence & Martin, 2013). The cu...