Social Network Analysis and the Study of Chinese Elites: A New Approach for Conceptualizing and Measuring Informal Institutions

This paper shows that in the case of the members of the Chinese Communist Party's Central Committee 1982-2012 patronage ties can be inferred from publicly available information. Connections to one high-level patron double the chance of being appointed to the Communist Politburo 5-10 years later, ties to additional patrons further increase that chance - but only if the patrons are allied. Links to current and former subordinates among the other elite also have a significant positive effect. Future Politburo members tend to be found in network positions that capture popularity as a coalition partner (closeness centrality), while likely patrons hold network positions associated with stable coalition leaders, from which they can prevent the formation of opposing coalitions (betweenness centrality). The paper thus demonstrates the feasibility and importance of analyzing the network among a whole group of elites instead of just the ties between one specific leader and his followers.