Beyond discipline: how Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption policy triggered structural change in China

This study investigates whether the anti-corruption campaign launched with Xi Jinping’s rise to power in 2012 constitutes a structural shift in China’s political system, focusing on how it influences political stability, Chinese Communist Party legitimacy, and institutional reforms. The research utilises autoregressive models, structural break tests, and trend analysis, leveraging international indicators such as the Corruption Perceptions Index and the World Bank’s Control of Corruption. The results indicate a robust structural break starting in 2012, aligning with Xi’s ascension to the presidency, revealing that the campaign initiated significant transformations in governance rather than just a short-term consolidation of power. The analysis links this shift to a coordinated set of policies – rigorous investigations, sanctions on officials, curbs on elite privileges, and symbolic reconnection with the public – which collectively disrupted entrenched patterns of corruption. Unlike prior anti-corruption efforts, which produced only marginal or temporary effects, Xi’s campaign appears to have triggered a deeper transformation in governance practices. These findings not only clarify the domestic implications of the campaign but also contribute to global debates on anti-corruption strategies in developing economies.