Abstract
This article analyses distinctive features and contextual causes of the resignation en masse of Chinese government officials in the wake of the 18th Party Congress. Typically, officials who resigned were neither being “ceilinged” nor considered laggards. Instead, they were front runners with proven records, and had stronger achievement orientations and risk-taking personalities. However, three contextual changes triggered the exodus-the heightened risk of pursuing a political career attributed to the unexpectedly relentless momentum of the anti-corruption campaign; intensified work stress due to the reimposed orthodox ideological straightjacket and reinstated Maoist morals; and demoralisation and disillusionment as a result of aggravated nepotism and the condoned practice of anonymous informing.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 188-199 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | China: An International Journal |
| Volume | 17 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| Publication status | Published - Aug 2019 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© China: An International Journal.
Funding
The author would like to express his gratitude to his friends and research assistants for assisting him with the fieldwork. He would also like to thank an anonymous reviewer for the insightful and constructive comments. The research was supported by the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong (project no.: CUHK14613815).
