what they wanted. (p.214) I would guess that things have been less free since 2002, but China still has local elections, petitions, and sometimes even political protests. SO If China did have elections, what parties would emerge? Let's assume a proportional representation parliament, with no bar to very small parties. So probably we would get something like the Israeli Knesset. In the long run parties might consolidate, or at least form semi-permanent alliances. Like in the current Party Congress, delegates would not always have to be chosen geographically. There might be -Ethnic parties (if not banned) -Maybe anti-ethnic parties, appealing to Han in minority areas -Provincial parties or factions. Does a Chinese national ticket need someone from the Northeast to balance it? -Many varieties of rural parties -A Buddhist party? (Japan used to have a Buddhist Clean Government Party. Think that would get votes in China?) -Maybe some sort of party to represent factory workers. (But what would you call such a party?) -Would a women's party make sense? -Libertarians (seem to be everywhere) (feel free to suggest your own.) How these groups might coalesce into larger parties would depend on the issues or events. Are those without Shanghai registration allowed to vote in Shanghai? If not that might be an issue that would bring together lots of rural groups against city groups. If they were it might force municipal governments into policies that benefited everyone in town. Rural voters in Shaanxi and Guangdong might both agree on the importance