Rachel E. Stern and Lawrence J. Liu. “The Good Lawyer: State-Led Professional Socialization in Contemporary China.” Law & Social Inquiry, vol. 45, no. 1 (2020): 226-248.
This article examines how the Chinese state manages and shapes the legal profession in ways that support authoritarian rule, using mechanisms of professional socialization rather than relying solely on repression. It highlights the ambivalent role lawyers play in China: while essential for legal order and dispute resolution, they are also seen as potential political agitators. Drawing on interviews, government documents, content analysis, and a database of award-winning lawyers, the study identifies three key state mechanisms for instilling loyalty and defining “the good lawyer” in the official narrative—the bar exam, professional regulations, and the National Outstanding Lawyer Award. These tools convey expectations that lawyers should work closely with authorities, prioritize social harmony, and separate private dissent from public behavior.
The article shows that in contemporary China, legal professionalism is actively constructed by the state to discipline the bar and promote political compliance. This vision of lawyers as cooperative partners in governance competes with alternative views of legal professionalism grounded in rights advocacy. Under Xi Jinping, the boundaries of acceptable legal behavior have narrowed significantly, reinforcing Party control. By expanding the concept of political control to include professional socialization, the article contributes to the literature on legal activism under authoritarianism. It warns that China’s model may serve as an example for other regimes navigating democratic backsliding, with broader implications for how law is used to sustain authoritarian power.