Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations

China's Socioeconomic Reforms and Governance

Works Count: 54801

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This cluster of papers explores the political economy and governance of China, focusing on topics such as economic reform, inequality, migration, urbanization, land policy, and authoritarianism. It delves into the complexities of China's unique political and economic system, offering insights into its development and challenges.

Keywords

China; political economy; governance; reform; inequality; migration; urbanization; land policy; authoritarianism; economic development

Rightful resistance in rural China

2007-02-01

Kevin J. O’Brien , Lianjiang Li

1. Rightful resistance 2. Opportunities and perceptions 3. Boundary-spanning claims 4. Tactical escalation 5. Outcomes 6. Implications for China. 1. Rightful resistance 2. Opportunities and perceptions 3. Boundary-spanning claims 4. Tactical escalation 5. Outcomes 6. Implications for China.

The power of the Internet in China: citizen activism online

2010-01-01

Guobin Yang

List of FiguresList of TablesAcknowledgmentsIntroduction1. Online Activism in an Age of Contention2. The Politics of Digital Contention3. The Rituals and Genres of Contention4. The Changing Style of Contention5. The Business … List of FiguresList of TablesAcknowledgmentsIntroduction1. Online Activism in an Age of Contention2. The Politics of Digital Contention3. The Rituals and Genres of Contention4. The Changing Style of Contention5. The Business of Digital Contention6. Civic Associations Online7. Utopian Realism in Online Communities8. Transnational Activism OnlineConclusion: China's Long RevolutionNotesBibliographyIndex

Reform without Losers: An Interpretation of China's Dual‐Track Approach to Transition

2000-02-01

Lawrence J. Lau , Yingyi Qian , Gérard Roland

This paper develops a simple model to analyze the dual‐track approach to market liberalization as a mechanism for implementing efficient Pareto‐improving economic reform, that is, reform achieving efficiency without creating … This paper develops a simple model to analyze the dual‐track approach to market liberalization as a mechanism for implementing efficient Pareto‐improving economic reform, that is, reform achieving efficiency without creating losers. The approach, based on the continued enforcement of the existing plan while simultaneously liberalizing the market, can be understood as a method for making implicit lump‐sum transfers to compensate potential losers of the reform. The model highlights the critical roles of enforcement of the plan for achieving Pareto improvement and full liberalization of the market track for achieving efficiency. We examine how the dual‐track approach has worked in product and labor market liberalization in China.

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The Political Logic of Economic Reform in China

1994-01-01

Donald S. Zagoria , Susan L. Shirk

Acknowledgments Formal Authority Relations Among Central Communist Party and Government Institutions in the People's Republic of China PART 1. INTRODUCTION 1. The Political Logic of Economic Reform 2. The Prereform … Acknowledgments Formal Authority Relations Among Central Communist Party and Government Institutions in the People's Republic of China PART 1. INTRODUCTION 1. The Political Logic of Economic Reform 2. The Prereform Chinese Economy and the Decision to Initiate Market Reforms PART 2. CHINESE POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS 3. Authority Relations: The Communist Party and the Government 4. Leadership Incentives:- Political Succession and Reciprocal Accountability 5. Bargaining Arena: The Government Bureaucracy 6. Who Is Enfranchised in the Policy-making Process? 7. Decision Rules: Delegation by Consensus 8. Chinese Political Institutions and the Path of Economic Reforms PART 3* ECONOMIC REFORM POLICY-MAKING 9. Playing to the Provinces: Fiscal Decentralization and the Politics of Reform 10. Creating Vested Interests in Reform: Industrial Reform Takeoff, 1978-81 11. Leadership Succession and Policy Conflict: The Choice Between Profit Contracting and Substituting Tax-for-Profit, 1982-83 221 12. Building Bureaucratic Consensus: Formulating the Tax-for-Profit Policy, 1983-84 13. The Power of Particularism: Abortive Price Reform and the Revival of Profit Contracting, 1985-88 PART 4* CONCLUSION 14. The Political Lessons of Economic Reform in China Bibliography Index

Migration, Remittances, and Agricultural Productivity in China

1999-05-01

Scott Rozelle , J. Edward Taylor , Alan deBrauw

In our paper we have used the New Economics of Labor Migration framework to trace the complex linkages that exist among migration remittances and agricultural productivity [in China]. Constraints in … In our paper we have used the New Economics of Labor Migration framework to trace the complex linkages that exist among migration remittances and agricultural productivity [in China]. Constraints in the operation of on-farm labor and capital or insurance markets (or institutions) provide households with a motivation to migrate and distort on-farm operations when labor leaves. In our household sample the net impact of migration and remittances on maize production is negative. (EXCERPT)

The Impact of China's Economic Reforms on Agricultural Productivity Growth

1989-08-01

John McMillan , John Whalley , Lijing Zhu

This paper presents a method for assessing the relative importance of price increases and strengthened individual incentives due to the introduction of the responsibility system for the post-1978 increase in … This paper presents a method for assessing the relative importance of price increases and strengthened individual incentives due to the introduction of the responsibility system for the post-1978 increase in China's agricultural productivity. Data on post-1978 Chinese agricultural performance suggest that a little over three-quarters of the measured productivity increase is due to payment system changes and the remainder to price increases. We also use our method to calculate incentive indices, giving an estimate of the fraction of their marginal product that peasants received under the pre-1978 regime.

Regional Income Inequality and Economic Growth in China

1996-04-01

Jian Chen , Belton M. Fleisher

Contingent Symbiosis and Civil Society in an Authoritarian State: Understanding the Survival of China’s Grassroots NGOs

2011-07-01

Anthony J. Spires

In the study of civil society, Tocqueville-inspired research has helped illuminate important connections between associations and democracy, while corporatism has provided a robust framework for understanding officially approved civil society … In the study of civil society, Tocqueville-inspired research has helped illuminate important connections between associations and democracy, while corporatism has provided a robust framework for understanding officially approved civil society organizations in authoritarian regimes. Yet neither approach accounts for the experiences of ostensibly illegal grassroots nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in an authoritarian state. Drawing on fieldwork in China, I argue that grassroots NGOs can survive in an authoritarian regime when the state is fragmented and when censorship keeps information local. Moreover, grassroots NGOs survive only insofar as they refrain from democratic claims-making and address social needs that might fuel grievances against the state. For its part, the state tolerates such groups as long as particular state agents can claim credit for any good works while avoiding blame for any problems. Grassroots NGOs and an authoritarian state can thus coexist in a "contingent symbiosis" that—far from pointing to an inevitable democratization—allows ostensibly illegal groups to operate openly while relieving the state of some of its social welfare obligations.

Market Transition and the Persistence of Power: The Changing Stratification System in Urban China

1996-10-01

Yanjie Bian , John Logan

Research on transitional socialist societies has explored trends in income inequality and issues concerning who gains and who loses during market reforms. We find that income inequality in a major … Research on transitional socialist societies has explored trends in income inequality and issues concerning who gains and who loses during market reforms. We find that income inequality in a major Chinese city declined only slightly during the first decade of reform policies; it then increased dramatically in the subsequent five years. Strategic position in the state bureaucracy continues to be an important determinant of income, although connections to the market system are becoming alternate sources of advantage. We interpret these findings in light of the historical and institutional context of urban China

From Fiefs to Clans and Network Capitalism: Explaining China's Emerging Economic Order

1996-12-01

Max Boisot , John Child

The State, Land System, and Land Development Processes in Contemporary China

2005-06-01

George C. S. Lin , Samuel P. S. Ho

Abstract In the era of state socialism under Mao, land in China was treated as a means of production and was allocated administratively by the state free of charge. To … Abstract In the era of state socialism under Mao, land in China was treated as a means of production and was allocated administratively by the state free of charge. To accommodate the interests of foreign investors without violating the socialist principle of public ownership, the Chinese state has, since the 1980s, separated land use rights from land ownership and opened up a new market track for the conveyance of land use rights to commercial users. The result has been a distinct dual-track land system in the new political economy, characterized by significant asymmetry for arbitrage. Discrepancy between the state's intention and actual outcome has been a consequence of the internal diversity of power relations concerning land development. Our data analysis reveals that the loss of farmland to nonagricultural developments has slowed down in recent years, that the state's intention to increase land use efficiency has been severely compromised by the socialist legacy, and that illegal activities are pervasive. The Chinese socialist state is better seen as a dynamic, complex, heterogeneous, and self-conflictual institutional ensemble in and through which the forces and interests of different levels of the state are contested, negotiated, and mediated.

State Capacity and Local Agent Control in China: CCP Cadre Management from a Township Perspective

2003-03-01

Maria Edin

This study argues against the view that the capacity of the central state has declined in the reform era in China. It examines how reforms have been introduced into the … This study argues against the view that the capacity of the central state has declined in the reform era in China. It examines how reforms have been introduced into the old system of cadre management to make it more effective, but also how higher levels of the party-state have improved monitoring and strengthened political control through promoting successful township leaders to hold concurrent positions at higher levels and by rotating them between different administrative levels and geographical areas. Its findings suggest that state capacity, defined as the capacity to monitor and control lower level agents, has increased. The reason behind the failure to implement some policies, such as burden reduction, is not so much inadequate control over local leaders as the centre's own priorities and conflicting policies. The Chinese party-state maintains the ability to be selectively effective in the beginning of 2000s.

Federalism, Chinese Style: The Political Basis for Economic Success in China

1995-10-01

Gabriella R. Montinola , Yingyi Qian , Barry R. Weingast

China's remarkable economic success rests on a foundation of political reform providing a considerable degree of credible commitment to markets. This reform reflects a special type of institutionalized decentralization that … China's remarkable economic success rests on a foundation of political reform providing a considerable degree of credible commitment to markets. This reform reflects a special type of institutionalized decentralization that the authors call “federalism, Chinese style.” This form of decentralization has three consequences. First, it fosters competition, not only in product markets, but also among local governments for labor and foreign capital. This competition, in turn, encourages local government experimentation and learning with new forms of enterprises, regulation, and economic relationships. Second, it provides incentives for local governments to promote local economic prosperity. Finally, it provides a significant amount of protection to local governments and their enterprises from political intrusion by the central government.

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The Chinese<i>Hukou</i>System at 50

2009-02-28

Kam Wing Chan

A noted American authority on urbanization in China presents a retrospective analysis of China's hukou (household registration) system on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of its promulgation, reviewing the … A noted American authority on urbanization in China presents a retrospective analysis of China's hukou (household registration) system on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of its promulgation, reviewing the history of that system from a broad socio-political perspective. More specifically, the paper focuses on revealing trends in the development of the system over time and identifying many of its important ramifications for modern Chinese society, as well as on the impact of hukou on the country's industrialization, urbanization, and social and spatial stratification. The author argues that the hukou system now presents a major obstacle to China's quest to become a modern, first-world nation and global leader. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: O180, O530, P200, R120. 2 figures, 3 tables, 111 references.

Governing China: From Revolution Through Reform.

1995-01-01

D. Campbell , Kenneth Lieberthal

The new Second Edition includes discussions of: The consumer revolution that has brought China's major urban areas to the forefront of the developed world and created a new middle class … The new Second Edition includes discussions of: The consumer revolution that has brought China's major urban areas to the forefront of the developed world and created a new middle class An expanding private sector that has become the major generator of new employment in the overall economy as the state sector has shed jobs The increase in foreign direct investment which has set China on track to becoming the manufacturing center of the world. An enormous population migration from rural to urban areas and from the interior to the coast that is becoming one of the most massive movements of people in human history, and its significant impact on the environment The unprecedented integration into the international economic system as China has joined virtually every major multilateral regime The reactions of the top and the bottom of the political system to these recent developments and the continuing struggles between the government's large bureaucratic structures and sporadic popular political movements.

THE URBAN–RURAL INCOME GAP AND INEQUALITY IN CHINA

2007-02-28

Terry Sicular , Ximing Yue , Björn Gustafsson +1 more

Using new household survey data for 1995 and 2002, we investigate the size of China's urban–rural income gap, the gap's contribution to overall inequality in China, and the factors underlying … Using new household survey data for 1995 and 2002, we investigate the size of China's urban–rural income gap, the gap's contribution to overall inequality in China, and the factors underlying the gap. Our analysis improves on past estimates by using a fuller measure of income, adjusting for spatial price differences and including migrants. Our methods include inequality decomposition by population subgroup and the Oaxaca–Blinder decomposition. Several key findings emerge. First, the adjustments substantially reduce China's urban–rural income gap and its contribution to inequality. Nevertheless, the gap remains large and has increased somewhat over time. Second, after controlling for household characteristics, location of residence remains the most important factor underlying the urban–rural income gap. The only household characteristic that contributes substantially to the gap is education. Differences in the endowments of, and returns to, other household characteristics such as family size and composition, landholdings, and Communist Party membership are relatively unimportant.

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Marketing and Social Structure in Rural China, Part I

1964-11-01

G. William Skinner

I set forth in this paper a partial description and preliminary analysis of rural marketing in China. This neglected topic has significance with ranges far beyond the disciplinary concerns of … I set forth in this paper a partial description and preliminary analysis of rural marketing in China. This neglected topic has significance with ranges far beyond the disciplinary concerns of economics. It interests anthropologists in particular because marketing structures of the kind described here for China appear to be characteristic of the whole class of civilizations known as “peasant” or “traditional agrarian” societies. In complex societies of this important type, marketing structures inevitably shape local social organization and provide one of the crucial modes for integrating myriad peasant communities into the single social system which is the total society. The Chinese case would appear to be strategic for the comparative study of peasant marketing in traditional agrarian societies because the integrative task accomplished there was uniquely large; because the exceptional longevity and stability of Chinese society have allowed the marketing system in many regions to reach full maturity prior to the beginnings of modernization; and because available documentation of Chinese marketing over several centuries provides rich resources for the study of systemic development—of change within tradition.

“Fragmented Authoritarianism 2.0”: Political Pluralization in the Chinese Policy Process

2009-12-01

Andrew Mertha

Abstract Traditional analyses of political liberalization in China focus on elections or other facets of democratization. But they cannot account for the fact that although China remains authoritarian, it is … Abstract Traditional analyses of political liberalization in China focus on elections or other facets of democratization. But they cannot account for the fact that although China remains authoritarian, it is nevertheless responsive to the increasingly diverse demands of Chinese society. I argue that the rules of the policy-making process are still captured by the fragmented authoritarianism framework, but that the process has become increasingly pluralized: barriers to entry have been lowered, at least for certain actors (hitherto peripheral officials, non-governmental organizations and the media) identified here as “policy entrepreneurs.” With policy change as the variable of interest, I compare three cases of hydropower policy outcomes. I argue that policy entrepreneurs' ability to frame the issue effectively explains variation in hydropower policy outcomes. I then extend these findings to an unlikely policy area, international trade, specifically, the 2001–06 Sino-EU trade talks over child-resistant lighter safety regulations.

The Power of the Internet in China: Citizen Activism Online

2010-05-01

Ming‐Cheng M. Lo

Policy Experimentation in China’s Economic Rise

2007-12-26

Sebastian Heilmann

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The household registration system and social stratification in China: 1955–1996

2004-05-01

Xiaogang Wu , Donald J. Treiman

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The social construction of scale

2000-06-01

Sallie A. Marston

Over the last ten years, scholars in human geography have been paying increasing theoretical and empirical attention to understanding the ways in which the production of scale is implicated in … Over the last ten years, scholars in human geography have been paying increasing theoretical and empirical attention to understanding the ways in which the production of scale is implicated in the production of space. Overwhelmingly, this work reflects a social constructionist approach, which situates capitalist production (and the role of the state, capital, labor and nonstate political actors) as of central concern. What is missing from this discussion about the social construction of scale is serious attention to the relevance of social reproduction and consumption. In this article I review the important literature on scale construction and argue for enlarging our scope for understanding scale to include the complex processes of social reproduction and consumption. I base my critique on a short case study which illustrates that attention to other processes besides production and other systems of domination besides capitalism can enhance our theorizing and improve our attempts to effect real social change.

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Fiscal Reform and the Economic Foundations of Local State Corporatism in China

1992-10-01

Jean C. Oi

In the 1980s fiscal reform in China provided localities with strong incentives and a heightened capacity to pursue industrial growth. As a result, local governments have responded vigorously to economic … In the 1980s fiscal reform in China provided localities with strong incentives and a heightened capacity to pursue industrial growth. As a result, local governments have responded vigorously to economic reform, managing rural collective-owned enterprises as diversified corporations, with local officials performing the role of a board of directors. This article analyzes the incentives that have led to the development of this form of local state corporatism and rapid rural industrialization, and it describes the ways in which local governments coordinate economic activity and reallocate revenues from industrial production. These developments are important for two reasons: they show that local government involvement in the economy does not necessarily decline with the expansion of market coordination; and they offer a successful model of reform that serves as a counterpoint to privatization proposals.

Growing Out of the Plan: Chinese Economic Reform 1978-1993.

1996-01-01

Samuel P. S. Ho , Barry Naughton

Introductory Preface Introduction 1. The command economy and the China difference Phase One. The Bird in the Cage, 1979-1983: 2. Crisis and response: initial reorientation of the economy 3. State … Introductory Preface Introduction 1. The command economy and the China difference Phase One. The Bird in the Cage, 1979-1983: 2. Crisis and response: initial reorientation of the economy 3. State sector reforms 4. Growth of the non-state sector Phase Two. Reforms Take Off, 1984-1988: 5. Reformulation and debate: the turning point of 1984 6. The second phase of reform 7. Rapid growth and macroeconomic imbalance Phase Three. To a Market Economy: 8. The post-Tiananmen cycle of retrenchment and renewed reform 9. Conclusion.

The Role of the Local State in China's Transitional Economy

1995-12-01

Jean C. Oi

All states have a role in development, but this varies widely. The spectrum is defined at one end by the laissez faire minimalist state whose role is limited to ensuring … All states have a role in development, but this varies widely. The spectrum is defined at one end by the laissez faire minimalist state whose role is limited to ensuring a stable and secure environment so that contracts, property rights and other institutions of the market can be honoured. At the opposite end are the centrally planned Leninist states that directly replace the market with bureaucratic allocation and planning. Between these two extremes are the capitalist developmental states of Japan and the East Asian Newly Industrializing Countries (NICs) that are neither Communist nor laissez faire , but exhibit characteristics of both. The state plays an activist, rather than a minimalist, role; there is planning, but it is geared toward creating maximum competitive and comparative advantage for manufacturers within a market economy.

The<i>Hukou</i>System and Rural-Urban Migration in China: Processes and Changes

1999-12-01

Kam Wing Chan , Li Zhang

Until recently, few people in mainland China would dispute the significance of the hukou (household registration) system in affecting their lives – indeed, in determining their fates. At the macro … Until recently, few people in mainland China would dispute the significance of the hukou (household registration) system in affecting their lives – indeed, in determining their fates. At the macro level, the centrality of this system has led some to argue that the industrialization strategy and the hukou system were the crucial organic parts of the Maoist model: the strategy could not have been implemented without the system. A number of China scholars in the West, notably Christiansen, Chan, Cheng and Seiden, Solinger, and Mallee, have begun in recent years to study this important subject in relation to population mobility and its social and economic ramifications. Unlike population registration systems in many other countries, the Chinese system was designed not merely to provide population statistics and identify personal status, but also directly to regulate population distribution and serve many other important objectives desired by the state. In fact, the hukou system is one of the major tools of social control employed by the state. Its functions go far beyond simply controlling population mobility.

Getting Ahead in the Communist Party: Explaining the Advancement of Central Committee Members in China

2012-02-01

Victor Shih , Christopher Adolph , Mingxing Liu

Spectacular economic growth in China suggests the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has somehow gotten it right. A key hypothesis in both economics and political science is that the CCP's … Spectacular economic growth in China suggests the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has somehow gotten it right. A key hypothesis in both economics and political science is that the CCP's cadre evaluation system, combined with China's geography-based governing logic, has motivated local administrators to compete with one another to generate high growth. We raise a number of theoretical and empirical challenges to this claim. Using a new biographical database of Central Committee members, a previously overlooked feature of CCP reporting, and a novel Bayesian method that can estimate individual-level correlates of partially observed ranks, we find no evidence that strong growth performance was rewarded with higher party ranks at any of the postreform party congresses. Instead, factional ties with various top leaders, educational qualifications, and provincial revenue collection played substantial roles in elite ranking, suggesting that promotion systems served the immediate needs of the regime and its leaders, rather than encompassing goals such as economic growth.

The Great Urban Transformation

2010-01-21

You‐tien Hsing

Abstract This book emphasizes the centrality of cities in China's ongoing transformation. Based on fieldwork in twenty-four Chinese cities between 1996 and 2007, the author forwards an analysis of the … Abstract This book emphasizes the centrality of cities in China's ongoing transformation. Based on fieldwork in twenty-four Chinese cities between 1996 and 2007, the author forwards an analysis of the relations between the city, the state, and society through two novel concepts: urbanization of the local state and civic territoriality. Urbanization of the local state is a process of state power restructuring entailing an accumulation regime based on the commodification of state-owned land, the consolidation of territorial authority through construction projects, and a policy discourse dominated by notions of urban modernity. Civic territoriality encompasses the politics of distribution engendered by urban expansionism, and social actors' territorial strategies toward self-protection. Findings are based on observations in three types of places. In the inner city of major metropolitan centers, municipal governments battle high-ranking state agencies to secure land rents from redevelopment projects, while residents mobilize to assert property and residential rights. At the urban edge, as metropolitan governments seek to extend control over their rural hinterland through massive-scale development projects, villagers strategize to profit from the encroaching property market. At the rural fringe, township leaders become brokers of power and property between the state bureaucracy and villages, while large numbers of peasants are dispossessed, dispersed, and deterritorialized; their mobilizational capacity is consequently undermined.

The Political Economy of the Welfare State

1979-01-01

Ian Gough

Assessment on the urbanization strategy in China: Achievements, challenges and reflections

2017-12-06

Xingliang Guan , Houkai Wei , Shasha Lu +2 more

Splintering urbanism: networked infrastructures, technological mobilities and the urban condition

2002-11-05

Jean Hillier

Authoritarian Deliberation: The Deliberative Turn in Chinese Political Development

2011-06-01

Baogang He , Mark E. Warren

Authoritarian rule in China is now permeated by a wide variety of deliberative practices. These practices combine authoritarian concentrations of power with deliberative influence, producing the apparent anomaly of authoritarian … Authoritarian rule in China is now permeated by a wide variety of deliberative practices. These practices combine authoritarian concentrations of power with deliberative influence, producing the apparent anomaly of authoritarian deliberation. Although deliberation is usually associated with democracy, they are distinct phenomena. Democracy involves the inclusion of individuals in matters that affect them through distributions of empowerments such as votes and rights. Deliberation is a mode of communication involving persuasion-based influence. Combinations of non-inclusive power and deliberative influence—authoritarian deliberation—are readily identifiable in China, probably reflecting failures of command authoritarianism under the conditions of complexity and pluralism produced by market-oriented development. The concept of authoritarian deliberation frames two possible trajectories of political development in China: the increasing use of deliberative practices stabilizes and strengthens authoritarian rule, or deliberative practices serve as a leading edge of democratization.

Migration Infrastructure

2014-09-01

Biao Xiang , Johan Lindquist

Based on the authors’ long-term field research on low-skilled labor migration from China and Indonesia, this article establishes that more than ever labor migration is intensively mediated. Migration infrastructure – … Based on the authors’ long-term field research on low-skilled labor migration from China and Indonesia, this article establishes that more than ever labor migration is intensively mediated. Migration infrastructure – the systematically interlinked technologies, institutions, and actors that facilitate and condition mobility – serves as a concept to unpack the process of mediation. Migration can be more clearly conceptualized through a focus on infrastructure rather than on state policies, the labor market, or migrant social networks alone. The article also points to a trend of “infrastructural involution,” in which the interplay between different dimensions of migration infrastructure make it self-perpetuating and self-serving, and impedes rather than enhances people's migratory capability. This explains why labor migration has become both more accessible and more cumbersome in many parts of Asia since the late 1990s. The notion of migration infrastructure calls for research that is less fixated on migration as behavior or migrants as the primary subject, and more concerned with broader societal transformations.

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The Spirit of Chinese Capitalism

1990-12-31

Sean Redding

Gifts, favors, and banquets: the art of social relationships in China

1995-03-01

Deng Xiaoping and the Transformation of China

2011-09-26

Ezra F. Vogel

Perhaps no one in the twentieth century had a greater long-term impact on world history than Deng Xiaoping. And no scholar of contemporary East Asian history and culture is better … Perhaps no one in the twentieth century had a greater long-term impact on world history than Deng Xiaoping. And no scholar of contemporary East Asian history and culture is better qualified than Ezra Vogel to disentangle the many contradictions embodied in the life and legacy of China’s boldest strategist. Once described by Mao Zedong as a “needle inside a ball of cotton,” Deng was the pragmatic yet disciplined driving force behind China’s radical transformation in the late twentieth century. He confronted the damage wrought by the Cultural Revolution, dissolved Mao’s cult of personality, and loosened the economic and social policies that had stunted China’s growth. Obsessed with modernization and technology, Deng opened trade relations with the West, which lifted hundreds of millions of his countrymen out of poverty. Yet at the same time he answered to his authoritarian roots, most notably when he ordered the crackdown in June 1989 at Tiananmen Square. Deng’s youthful commitment to the Communist Party was cemented in Paris in the early 1920s, among a group of Chinese student-workers that also included Zhou Enlai . Deng returned home in 1927 to join the Chinese Revolution on the ground floor. In the fifty years of his tumultuous rise to power, he endured accusations, purges, and even exile before becoming China’s preeminent leader from 1978 to 1989 and again in 1992. When he reached the top, Deng saw an opportunity to creatively destroy much of the economic system he had helped build for five decades as a loyal follower of Mao—and he did not hesitate.

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Communist Neo-Traditionalism: Work and Authority in Chinese Industry.

1987-01-01

Marc Blecher , Andrew G. Walder

The Political Logic of Economic Reform in China

1993-12-31

Susan L. Shirk

Contesting Citizenship in Urban China

1999-12-31

Dorothy J. Solinger

The Individualization of Chinese Society

2020-08-18

Yunxiang Yan

Chinese society has seen phenomenal change in the last 30 years. Two of the most profound changes have been the rise of the individual in both public and private spheres … Chinese society has seen phenomenal change in the last 30 years. Two of the most profound changes have been the rise of the individual in both public and private spheres and the consequent individualization of Chinese society itself. Yet, despite China's recent dramatic entrance into global politics and economics, neither of these significant shifts has been fully analysed. China may indeed present an alternative model of social transformation in the age of globalisation - so its path to development may have particular implications for the developing world.The Individualization of Chinese Society reveals how individual agency has been on the rise since the 1970s and how this has impacted on everyday life and Chinese society more broadly. The book presents a wide range of detailed case studies - on the impact of economic policy, patterns of kinship, changes in marriage relations and the socio-economic position of women, the development of youth culture, the politics of consumerism, and shifting power relations in everyday life.

Statistical yearbook of China

1985-01-01

China. State Statistical Bureau

This is the latest in the series of statistical yearbooks which have been produced annually since 1981, and have become established as the essential reference books on the Chinese economy. … This is the latest in the series of statistical yearbooks which have been produced annually since 1981, and have become established as the essential reference books on the Chinese economy. They contain the most authoritative information available on the Chinese economy, including much data that is not readily accessible elsewhere. The 1986 edition of this definitive source has been much enhanced. It is considerably longer, larger in format, and markedly more informative. Extra statistics are now available on natural resources, national income figures, the agricultural sector, industrial investment and enterprise structure, transport, domestic and foreign trade, public finance, household income, urban planning, health, and education.

Place‐Based Policies, New Agricultural Operating Entities Development, and Structural Transformation in China

2025-06-24

Cheng Luo , Yu Du , Xia Yu +1 more | Agricultural Economics

ABSTRACT This paper examines the impact of China's Specialty Agricultural Products Advantageous Zones (AZs), a prominent place‐based policy, on the development of new agricultural operating entities (NAOEs). Using detailed registration … ABSTRACT This paper examines the impact of China's Specialty Agricultural Products Advantageous Zones (AZs), a prominent place‐based policy, on the development of new agricultural operating entities (NAOEs). Using detailed registration data of NAOEs, we find that the establishment of AZs increases the operating revenue of NAOEs by 4.4% in the leading industry. However, the magnitude of this effect varies by industry, market, and geographic characteristics, with greater benefits for entities located downstream of leading industrial chains, those involved in industrial integration, and those operating in areas with higher market competition or potential. These effects are primarily driven by increased land availability, industry agglomeration, market competition, and innovation within AZs. Additionally, our analysis reveals spillover effects on leading industry entities outside AZs. Within four years of AZ establishment, we also observe a significant and positive structural transformation in local agriculture.

Political competition and Chinese official data

2025-06-23

Chia-Yu Tsai | Public Choice

Ungating China: A Discourse Analysis of Public Resistance and Policy Re-evaluation

2025-06-23

X.P. Liu , Sara Alidoust , Dorina Pojani | Urban Policy and Research

Intimacy as a Lens on Work and Migration: Experiences of Ethnic Performers in Southwest China Jingyu Mao. Bristol: Bristol University Press, 2024. 168 pp. £79.99 (hbk). ISBN 9781529225853

2025-06-23

Louisa Schein | The China Quarterly

In decline, but not left behind? Electoral behavior in Japan's depopulating regions

2025-06-22

Hanno Jentzsch , Kostiantyn Ovsiannikov | Journal of Elections Public Opinion and Parties

The politics of kinship: social credit, digital vigilantism, and celebrity governance in China

2025-06-21

Xiyao Liu , Jian Xu | Celebrity Studies

What is ‘6B4T’ in China? New wave of radical digital feminism on Douban

2025-06-21

Li Shu , Yijia Gu | Journal of Gender Studies

History Rhymes: The Shou-Fang Cycle in Chinese Politics

2025-06-20

Sung Han Cho | Journal of Chinese Political Science

Abstract Scholars have recognized an oscillating pattern of political tightening and loosening in China’s political orientation, also known as the shou-fang cycle. Despite frequent references, the concept has not been … Abstract Scholars have recognized an oscillating pattern of political tightening and loosening in China’s political orientation, also known as the shou-fang cycle. Despite frequent references, the concept has not been subjected to scholarly scrutiny. This study critically examines the concept of the shou-fang cycle and discusses its utility in the study of Chinese politics. I argue that the shou-fang cycle should be understood as a historical concept rather than a theoretical one. The shou-fang cycle entails the problems of complex multicausality and the uncertainty of factional politics to be used for causal analysis. However, it still provides valuable insights into Chinese politics and can be utilized to formulate more hypotheses than would be possible otherwise. It provides historical context for the structural challenges that Xi Jinping has been faced with in particular. Building on Gaddis’ and other literature that compare political science and history, this interdisciplinary study contributes to advancing the dialogue between the two fields.

2017-2023 YILLARI ARASINDA DOĞU TÜRKİSTAN TOPLAMA KAMPLARINDAKİ İNSAN HAK İHLÂLLERİ

2025-06-20

Serap Öner | Türk Dünyası Araştırmaları

Çalışmamızda, Çin Halk Cumhuriyeti’nin Doğu Türkistan’da kurduğu toplama kamplarında 2017-2023 yılları arasında yaşanan insan hakları ihlâlleri incelenecektir. Bu ihlâller arasında yaşama hakkı, organ hırsızlığı, doğum kontrolü, işkence, eşitlik ve sağlık … Çalışmamızda, Çin Halk Cumhuriyeti’nin Doğu Türkistan’da kurduğu toplama kamplarında 2017-2023 yılları arasında yaşanan insan hakları ihlâlleri incelenecektir. Bu ihlâller arasında yaşama hakkı, organ hırsızlığı, doğum kontrolü, işkence, eşitlik ve sağlık hakkı ile siyasî ve dini özgürlükler yer almaktadır. Çin hükümeti, Doğu Türkistan’da aşırılık ve bölücülük suçlamalarıyla bireyleri yargısız olarak toplama kamplarında alıkoymakta ve uluslararası hukuk standartlarına aykırı bir şekilde hapsetmektedir. Radikal Eğilimin 48 Şüpheli İşareti temel alınarak yapılan tutuklamalar, Çin’in baskıcı politikasını göstermektedir. Toplama kamplarında işkence, zorla çalıştırma, hijyen ve beslenme yetersizlikleri gibi insanlık dışı uygulamalar yaygındır. Bu koşullar, sistematik insan hakları ihlâllerinin boyutunu ortaya koymaktadır. Çalışmamız, Birleşmiş Milletler İnsan Hakları Evrensel Beyannamesi’ne dayanarak, Doğu Türkistan’daki hak ihlâllerinin uluslararası platformlarda gündeme getirilmesinin ve kamuoyunun desteğinin önemini vurgulamaktadır.

Social Media and Policy Change: The Chinese Government’s Strategic Policy Responsiveness During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2025-06-20

Ana Inés Langer , Hua Wang , Jane Duckett | Political Studies

We know surprisingly little about when and how governments respond with policy change to the public’s opinions expressed on social media. Even studies of autocracies like China – the focus … We know surprisingly little about when and how governments respond with policy change to the public’s opinions expressed on social media. Even studies of autocracies like China – the focus of much social media research – have concentrated on single cases or events. This article, based on a mixed method analysis of Chinese social media and policy datasets for the first four months of the COVID-19 pandemic, is the first to explore in depth when and how the public’s attention to an issue on social media can influence policy. We show that the government did sometimes respond with a change in policy to an issue of high relative salience on social media. Through qualitative comparative analysis of policy change cases, we find that change was more likely when it aligned with existing policies or priorities, was narrowly targeted, low cost and required little bureaucratic coordination. Government policy responsiveness exists in authoritarian contexts but is strategic.

Taiwan’s Silicon Shield Balancer in the Taiwan-US-China Triangularity

2025-06-19

Jubil Kochumon , Josukutty C.A | East Asia

Land-Use Politics Amid Land-Use Constraints: The Spatial Informality of Small Suburban Leisure Enterprises in Rural China

2025-06-19

Ying Wang , Tin-yuet Ting , Eddie C.M. Hui | Land

This article examines the land-use politics of recreation development in rural China. Extending the lens of spatial informality, it analyzes how the appropriation and acquisition of space by small suburban … This article examines the land-use politics of recreation development in rural China. Extending the lens of spatial informality, it analyzes how the appropriation and acquisition of space by small suburban leisure enterprises have constituted a de facto vehicle for rural spatial reconfiguration amidst land-use constraints. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork and case studies, we illuminate emerging scenarios in which inbound businesses burgeoned through the production of informal spaces, which were subsequently formalized or tolerated by local governments geared towards social economic growth. More so, we reveal the potential and limitations of such an informal-to-formal approach for rural spatial reconfiguration by showing how its sustainability and survival depend upon the enterprises’ ability to enter into a tacit alliance of interests with local authorities. This article casts new light on emerging bottom-up processes of spatial reconfiguration, alongside its repercussions for local suburbs, in the development of rural tourism and suburban leisure. It further suggests that, as an analytical approach, a nuanced understanding of rural restructuring under the recent national rural revitalization strategy can benefit from moving beyond the sole emphasis on formal institutions to analyze the role played by ordinary market actors and their spatial practices that shape rural territories and spatial relationships.

Policy as State Self-Presentation Action: What Information the State is Communicating through Policies

2025-06-19

Fayin Xu | Political Studies

State policies are state efforts to shape its relationship with society and maintain the political order. In this process, the interpretive effect of information is an important mechanism. However, the … State policies are state efforts to shape its relationship with society and maintain the political order. In this process, the interpretive effect of information is an important mechanism. However, the key question remains: what information is the state communicating through its policies? Previous studies on policy contents and policy discourses have offered valuable insights for this question, but have not fully explored the state’s symbolic logic. Discursive practice theory suggests that policies are state self-presentation actions, through which the state builds its identity and its relationship with society. A critical discourse analysis of China’s anti-corruption policies indicates that the state systematically employs problem-definition, solution-selection, implementation-decision, and outcome-evaluation discourses, to present itself as (1) a tenacious defender of public interests, (2) a rational responder to tough problems, (3) a powerful warrior against stubborn enemies, and (4) a progressive achiever in changing circumstances. Understanding the nature of public policies as state self-presentation action can enhance understanding of the policy-making process and the political effects of public policies. It can also facilitate the practice of policy analysts.

Upholding a people-centered approach, the rule of law safeguards people's livelihoods

2025-06-18

Li Fan , Wei‐Bin Zhang | Law and Humanities

The Thought on the Rule of Law signifies the latest development in the Sini-ciza-tion of Marxist legal theory, serving as the fundamental guideline and ac-tion plan for comprehensively advancing law-based … The Thought on the Rule of Law signifies the latest development in the Sini-ciza-tion of Marxist legal theory, serving as the fundamental guideline and ac-tion plan for comprehensively advancing law-based governance. Its core tenet em-phasizes a people-centered approach, ensuring the rule of law serves the popu-lace. Consequently, the construction of the rule of law must be guided by the practical imperative of safeguarding and improving people's livelihoods. These two aspects achieve synergistic development through institutional inter-action: the rule of law provides the normative foundation for ensuring people's well-being, while the demands of the people drive the improvement of the legal system. Currently, China's system for ensuring people's well-being still faces certain structural contradictions, highlighting the institutional tension between policy supply and implementation effectiveness. The absence of adequate safe-guards for people's well-being not only undermines social fairness and jus-tice but also weakens the authority of the rule of law and the foundation of gov-ern-ance. Therefore, it is imperative to construct a closed-loop mechanism of "needs identification - institutional optimization - effectiveness enhancement": opti-mizing institutional design through the precise identification of people's needs, enhancing policy implementation effectiveness through legal means, and ulti-mately achieving good governance through the rule of law in the realm of peo-ple's well-being. Upholding a people-centered approach, the rule of law safe-guards people's livelihoods.

Introduction: The Belt and Road Initiative from bottom-up perspectives

2025-06-18

Miwa Hirono | ANU Press eBooks

ÇİN'İN SOSYAL KREDİ SİSTEMİ’NİN ANALİZİ

2025-06-18

Fatih Beyaz | Asya Araştırmaları Uluslararası Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi

Bu makale, Çin'in Sosyal Kredi Sisteminin inceliklerini ele almakta ve onu tarihsel uygulamalara dayanan, modern teknolojiyle geliştirilmiş karmaşık bir sosyal kontrol modeli olarak konumlandırmaktadır. Çalışma, Sosyal Kredi Sistemi'nin operasyonel mekanizmalarını, … Bu makale, Çin'in Sosyal Kredi Sisteminin inceliklerini ele almakta ve onu tarihsel uygulamalara dayanan, modern teknolojiyle geliştirilmiş karmaşık bir sosyal kontrol modeli olarak konumlandırmaktadır. Çalışma, Sosyal Kredi Sistemi'nin operasyonel mekanizmalarını, etkilerini ve biyopolitik sonuçlarını araştırmakta, bir yönetim aracı olarak nasıl işlediğini ve bireysel özerklik ve sosyal ilişkiler üzerindeki daha geniş etkisini ele almaktadır. Araştırmanın merkezinde, Sosyal Kredi Sistemi'nin, davranışları düzenlemek ve devlet düzenlemelerine uyumu sağlamak için gözetim ve psikopolitik tekniklerden yararlanan gelişmiş bir biyopolitik kontrol biçimini temsil ettiği hipotezi yer almaktadır. Araştırmanın özgünlüğü, Michel Foucault'nun kuramlaştırdığı biyopolitikanın ve Byung-Chul Han'ın dile getirdiği psikopolitikanın mercekleri aracılığıyla Sosyal Kredi Sistemi'nin kapsamlı analizinde yatmaktadır. Sosyal Kredi Sistemi'nin tarihsel gelişiminin izini süren ve mevcut uygulamalarını inceleyen çalışma, dijital gözetim ve veriye dayalı yönetişimin sosyal normları ve bireysel davranışları nasıl etkilediğine dair incelikli bir anlayış sağlamaktadır. Araştırma, Sosyal Kredi Sistemi'nin operasyonel mekanizmalarının, çeşitli sosyal aktörler üzerindeki etkisinin ve sunduğu etik ikilemlerin ayrıntılı bir incelemesini sunarak mevcut literatüre katkıda bulunmaktadır. Teorik çerçeveler ile gözetleme teknolojilerinin pratik uygulamaları arasında köprü kurarak küresel yönetişim ve sosyal kontrol için daha geniş kapsamlı sonuçlara dair içgörüler sunmaktadır.

From Regional Cooperation to Global Governance: Geographical Hierarchy and Priorities of Xi Jinping’s Diplomacy

2025-06-18

Zhang Manqi | Общество философия история культура

This article presents an analysis of Xi Jinping’s diplomacy across three levels: the peripheral, interactions with developing countries, and relations with major powers. Particular attention is given to how this … This article presents an analysis of Xi Jinping’s diplomacy across three levels: the peripheral, interactions with developing countries, and relations with major powers. Particular attention is given to how this hierarchically organized foreign policy strategy contributes to the formation of China’s international status; it also examines changes in China’s role in the global governance system. Against the backdrop of global challenges such as the crisis of international institutions and the intensification of competition among major powers, the concept of “global initiative” put forward by Xi Jinping has become a key element of China’s foreign policy strategy. By analyzing the implementation of these strategies and the dynamic adjustment of foreign policy priorities, this article will reveal the internal logic of Xi Jinping’s diplomatic course and its significant impact on the architec-ture of global governance.

Does Affluence Influence Authoritarian Responsiveness? Evidence From Urban China

2025-06-17

Jiawei Fu , Zeren Li , Yan Hai-bing | Comparative Political Studies

While research on advanced democracies highlights unequal political responsiveness favoring the affluent, less is known about such bias in authoritarian regimes without competitive elections. This paper analyzes how wealth affects … While research on advanced democracies highlights unequal political responsiveness favoring the affluent, less is known about such bias in authoritarian regimes without competitive elections. This paper analyzes how wealth affects bureaucratic responsiveness in an authoritarian context. By matching administrative data on municipal service records with apartment complex-level housing prices in downtown Shanghai, we show mixed findings on unequal responsiveness. Local governments resolve issues faster for residents in wealthier areas, which indicates a priority bias. However, residents in poorer areas receive equally positive resolutions as those in richer neighborhoods. Using interviews and a formal model, we interpret these mixed findings as an outcome of the dual mandates street-level bureaucrats face: efficiency pressure and social stability concerns.

Thirty years of grassroots governance: changing characteristics of village heads in China

2025-06-17

Tonglong Zhang , Z. Chen | Journal of Chinese Governance

Political Meritocracy and Democracy

2025-06-17

Dimitri Landa , Ryan Pevnick | Annual Review of Political Science

Political meritocracy is the idea that political institutions should aim to empower those people who are particularly well-suited to rule. This article surveys recent literature in democratic theory that argues … Political meritocracy is the idea that political institutions should aim to empower those people who are particularly well-suited to rule. This article surveys recent literature in democratic theory that argues on behalf of institutional arrangements that aim to realize the ideal of political meritocracy. We detail two prominent families of meritocratic proposals: nondemocratic meritocracy and weighted voting. We then describe and briefly evaluate five potentially important criticisms of political meritocracy related to the coherence of merit as an ideal, the demographic objection, rent-seeking, political inequality, and social peace. We also consider the key ways in which existing electoral democracies create spaces for institutionally meritocratic forms. Finally, we highlight the importance of exploring institutional innovations that allow democracies to effectively incorporate expertise without, at the same time, becoming vulnerable to the criticisms of political meritocracy that we discuss.

Sanmao Wanders on to the Silver Screen: Vagrant Children and the Social Reconstruction of Shanghai

2025-06-16

Cai Jie | Intellect eBooks

On the frontier of party-state capitalism: mapping the geopolitical economies of China’s Greater Bay Area

2025-06-16

Jamie Peck , Matthew Sparke , Dimitar Anguelov +1 more | Geoforum

Toward a processual approach to digital platforms’ infrastructuralization: the case of WeChat in China

2025-06-14

Jun Zhang , Jack Linzhou Xing | Chinese Journal of Communication

‘Breaking Through the Waves and Tides’: Rethinking Modernity in Qingdao, China

2025-06-13

Shen Hou | Global Environment

Qingdao is a coastal Chinese city that was founded at the end of the nineteenth century. First established as a German colony and later evolving into a Chinese cosmopolis, Qingdao … Qingdao is a coastal Chinese city that was founded at the end of the nineteenth century. First established as a German colony and later evolving into a Chinese cosmopolis, Qingdao is now home to several million people, offering its citizens the opportunity to make a living while also enjoying the nearby sea and beaches. By contextualising the story of a local labourer called Hou Wu (侯五) and his descendants, this article illuminates the city’s cultural and environmental transformation in the first half of the twentieth century, especially with regard to its beaches, and discusses the lives and desires of its residents. The article argues that the emerging modern city by the sea was not merely a result of Western colonisation blending with a traditional Chinese aesthetic appreciation of the ocean, but was also in many ways shaped by local people’s inner desires for proximity to the ocean, for playfulness and for enjoying a good life. This article was published open access under a CC BY licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ .

Ecological Civilisation and the ‘Good life’ in Shanghai: Promises and Practices to Achieve Harmony Between Humans and Nature Through (Urban) Redevelopment

2025-06-13

Harry den Hartog | Global Environment

Since 2007, China has been using the concept of ecological civilisation in its national and local policies. The term describes the government’s central aim to decrease the ecological footprint without … Since 2007, China has been using the concept of ecological civilisation in its national and local policies. The term describes the government’s central aim to decrease the ecological footprint without compromising on prosperity and the ‘good life’. This article explains how the directly controlled municipality of Shanghai is striving towards this aim by seeking to combine economic growth with sustainable urban planning and design efforts. This endeavour takes place in the context of extremely high population density, land scarcity, the world’s highest real estate prices, climate change, socio-economic challenges, a looming energy crisis, geopolitical tensions and unforeseen difficulties. China’s promising ecological civilisation policies demonstrate an ambition to redefine perspectives on growth and development in a radical way, though they are not without shortcomings. Despite encouraging high quality attractive greenways along Shanghai’s renewed riverbanks, gaps remain between the promises of ecological civilisation inspired policies and daily life practice. This article was published open access under a CC BY licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ .

Trained Labor in Vietnam: Current Situation and Solutions

2025-06-12

Ha Thi Bac , Le Van Hung | Social Science and Humanities Journal

At present, the Fourth Industrial Revolution is developing rapidly, and the knowledge-based economy is taking shape and affecting all countries. One of the key solutions implemented by countries around the … At present, the Fourth Industrial Revolution is developing rapidly, and the knowledge-based economy is taking shape and affecting all countries. One of the key solutions implemented by countries around the world to meet the demands of the 4.0 revolution is investing in education and training, promoting the development of science and technology, thereby enabling the economy to grow in depth. However, in reality, the number of trained workers in Vietnam remains very low. This is one of the major barriers limiting foreign investment and hindering the process of industrialization and modernization in Vietnam.

Compliance in China

2025-06-05

Matthew S. Erie | Regulation & Governance

ABSTRACT Much of scholarly writing on compliance is derived from the experiences of Western multi‐national corporations operating in developed economies. This introduction to the special issue “China in Compliance” departs … ABSTRACT Much of scholarly writing on compliance is derived from the experiences of Western multi‐national corporations operating in developed economies. This introduction to the special issue “China in Compliance” departs from such convention by asking how compliance works in China. By broadening the scope of compliance studies to include non‐Western contexts, including China and its relationship to the “Global South” and nondemocratic settings, the special issue breaks new ground in the empirical analysis of compliance industries, practices, and professionals. The special issue is comprised of seven articles that illustrate specific compliance problems for compliance in Chinese overseas direct investment. This introduction first provides a detailed overview of the growth of domestic corporate compliance in China over the last several years and then puts this growth in the context of Chinese companies engaging in overseas projects. It subsequently gives a roadmap of the articles and highlights their key themes and findings. The broader goal is to provide a conceptual foundation for the comparative study of compliance.

Conclusions: reconfiguring Chinese society, not the state

2025-06-05

Taru Salmenkari | Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks

WHAT IS CHINA?

2025-06-03

| WORLD SCIENTIFIC eBooks

The Impact of the County‐to‐District Transition on Rural Consumption Inequality in China

2025-06-03

Chengjun Wang , Juanjuan Chen , Ximin Fei +2 more | Review of Development Economics

ABSTRACT Does local urbanization, primarily in the form of converting counties to districts as promoted by the Chinese government, alleviate the consumption inequality among rural residents in China? First, the … ABSTRACT Does local urbanization, primarily in the form of converting counties to districts as promoted by the Chinese government, alleviate the consumption inequality among rural residents in China? First, the theoretical analysis of the impact mechanism of county‐to‐district conversion on consumption inequality is conducted. Second, macro‐level statistical data at the county level are merged with micro‐level survey data from the China Household Finance Survey (CHFS) to construct a four‐period unbalanced panel database composed of macro statistical data from 281 districts (county‐level cities) and micro survey data from 25,744 rural households. Finally, a multi‐period difference‐in‐differences model is used to empirically analyze the impact of local urbanization, mainly in the form of county‐to‐district conversion, on the micro‐level consumption inequality of rural residents. The results indicate that the county‐to‐district conversion policy significantly alleviates the consumption inequality among rural residents. Mechanism analysis shows that county‐to‐district conversion narrows the consumption inequality among rural residents through income effects and peer effects. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that the county‐to‐district conversion policy significantly alleviates the consumption inequality of rural households, with a more pronounced effect on households with middle and low‐income levels and those with household heads having lower levels of education. From a regional perspective, the county‐to‐district restructuring exacerbates consumption inequality in areas with higher economic development levels, while it alleviates consumption inequality in regions with medium to high levels of financial development. Based on these findings, relevant policy implications are thus proposed.

Why Not China?

2025-06-03

| Princeton University Press eBooks