The term "nomenklatura'' means "nomenclature,'' "a list of positions, arranged in order of seniority, including a description of the duties of each office. Perhaps the major instrument of Communist Party control of contemporary China's political, economic, social, and cultural institutions is the nomenklatura system. The system consists of lists of leading positions, over which party units exercise the power to make appointments and dismissals; lists of reserves or candidates for these positions; and institutions and processes for making the appropriate personnel changes. China's nomenklatura system has evolved to suit the needs of party leaders to control the state, develop the economy, and ensure that party policies are carried out throughout society.