This is an important important thread!

At issue: what are Party documents, speeches, and reports *for*? What can they actually tell us? https://twitter.com/PLMattis/status/1259591190040772609

Is it possible that much of modern IR/comp pol theory misunderstands what is going on in a state like China because they project norms and modes of power found inherit to democratic coalition building to very different structures of power?

I think Peter is 100% on the money with this thread, and like him am indebted to Tim Heath's understanding of many political/propaganda documents in China as not trying to signal "to domestic audiences" or persuade unconvinced publics, but COORDINATE party member's behavior.

This was easier for me to grasp intuitively once I realized that many Party functions, leadership tours, &documents reminded me not of their counterparts in the US government.... but of the guiding directives, tours, and documents used by the LDS church to guide its lay clergy.