Two Faces of Ideology: Double-Edged Functions of Ideology in the Reform Discourse Under Xi Jinping

Many scholars recognise that ideology plays indispensable roles in sustaining the legitimacy of the Chinese Communist Party and enhancing its governing capacity. However, less attention has been given to how party ideology operates in public discourse and whether it truly functions as an effective political tool to facilitate support for party initiatives. This article conceptualises public discourse as a “language game” played by the rules set by the party and examines how party ideology is “operationalised” by multiple actors as political rhetoric for persuasion in contentious reform discourse. Through the analysis of more than 400 periodical articles published in Chinese media outlets, this study examines policy discourse over the mixed-ownership reform of state-owned enterprises from 2014 to 2016 as a case study. The analysis demonstrates that ideology assumes two opposing operational functions in public discourse, consensus-inducing and conflict-inducing, depending on how it is employed by participants in the discourse.