China established the first "democratic republic" in Asia in 1911. One hundred years later its political system continues to evolve and its democracy is limited. The failure of multiple attempts to increase democracy in China throughout modern Chinese history has created pessimism about prospects for democratic change. However, interpreting democracy as something concrete has missed the point of understanding the broader context of how the idea of democracy has transformed politics in China. Little attention has been paid to the mechanism of how the idea of "democracy" has succeeded or failed to take root in China. Examining the relationship between the idea of democracy and political change in modern China, it is argued here with "constitutive localization (CL)," the idea of democracy generates indigenous political change. The CL mechanism is described as a complex process and outcome by which idea-takers build congruence between transnational ideas and local beliefs and practices. Through process tracing, discourse analysis and structured interviews, case studies are presented which document crucial political junctures in China's history. These include the late Qing political reform, also known as the Hundred Day Reform, in 1898; Deng Xiaoping's political reforms that began in 1978; as well as Jiang Zemin's "Three Represents" and Hu Jiantao's "Intra-Party Democracy" policies initiated after the Tiananmen incident in 1989. This analysis can also serve as a diagnostic tool to help U.S. policy makers understand where and how democratic forces could be strengthened in China as an alternative to a China policy founded on use of force doctrines. ; Degree awarded: Ph.D. School of International Service. American University