In the article, Li discusses a conceivable outcome of China's 17th Party Congress, one that will cause strong social resentment in China. He analyzes the possibility that the newly established Politburo will be filled with many "princelings," leaders who come from families of former high-ranking officials. "In the eyes of the Chinese public, market reforms in the past three decades have not only brought about rapid economic growth, but have also led to the rise of enormous economic disparities," wrote Li.
"At a time when Hu Jintao presents himself as a populist leader whose administration places a top priority on increasing social fairness and equality, the presence of a large contingent of princelings in the next Politburo would be seen as a great irony, thus significantly undermining Hu's populist claims," Li continues. He provides an analysis of the princelings' backgrounds and commonalities of the leading contenders for seats in the Politburo.
Li concludes by noting, "Yet, the shared political identity of the princelings may push them to work together as a more cohesive political force—serving as checks and balances to other powerful elite groups—especially at a time when Hu Jintao's tuanpai leaders are expected to obtain several seats in the next Politburo. It will be worth noting how the delegates at the 17th Party Congress and the Chinese public will respond to the growing numbers of both princelings and tuanpaiand to a great extent, the unfolding drama of competition between these two factions."
Li, who is also a senior fellow at the John L. Thornton China Center of the Brookings Institution, is the author of China's Leaders: The New Generation and the editor of the upcoming volume China's Changing Political Landscape (The Brookings Institution Press).