Final answer:
The Chinese Communist Party has evolved China's governmental system into a form of communism with authoritarian characteristics since 1949, whereby no political office can be held by individuals outside the CCP.
Step-by-step explanation:
Since 1949, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has led China, and the governmental system it has evolved into can be best described as a form of communism that includes elements of authoritarianism. The CCP maintains that it is the sole legitimate source of political power in China, a view entrenched in the country's constitution. This contrasts sharply with democratic systems found in Western Europe and North America, which feature more open political environments. In the People's Republic of China, all political officeholders must be members of the Chinese Communist Party, indicating a lack of political pluralism. Despite adopting market economic reforms and engaging in economic trade with the West, which has led to some societal openness, China remains an authoritarian state with restrictions on freedoms like the press, assembly, and religion.
China's government is not a democracy, monarchy, or straightforward dictatorship, but rather a one-party system based on communist ideology, as established by the founders of modern communism, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Under President Xi Jinping, the country has seen increased regulation of various aspects of society but has also experienced significant economic growth and poverty reduction, leveraging the market freedoms to progress towards the party's vision of communism.