China’s 'Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy': The values underlying socialist rule of law reforms

In China today, President Xi Jinping’s grand narrative is framed by the widely publicized ‘Four Comprehensives’ (si ge quan mian 四个全面) which claims to: 1. build a moderately prosperous society; 2. deepen reform; 3. govern the nation according to law, and 4. tighten Party discipline. Our paper argues that this is essentially a political narrative telling a moral tale seeking to legitimize and glorify the virtues of the present. It also attempts to shrug off mistakes of the previous dynasty. Theoretically, we draw on international comparative law and legal narrative analysis to provide a critical appraisal of the underlying values reflected in the ‘Four Comprehensives’, paying special attention to ‘strand three’ - how the narrative shapes the directions of China’s socialist rule of law. We argue there is a reverse development against legality, with judicial independence now added to the list of taboos.