“Social Governance” in Contemporary China: From Mechanism Types to Institutional Structures
Author: Yi-chun Tao
Abstract / Chinese PDF Download
The market transformation that is occurring in contemporary China reorganizes economic and social resources and triggers reactions from different social forces.
For the CCP, managing these conflicts and the associated costs of creating an orderly relationship between the institutions and the grassroots communities is the basis for economic development and the adaptability of authority. Given the vast scale of governance in China, the political and social fields vary greatly across different regions, which brings great burden and challenges to the authorities. How can we understand the diverse “social governance” mechanisms at the grassroots level in China? In what social configurations did these mechanisms originate? What are the main types? What is the trend? By analyzing the concepts found in the literature and from field experience, four grassroots social configurations can be identified, outlining four corresponding social governance mechanisms and adaptive orders: the “subcontracting type” of guanxi penetration, the “self-government type” of guanxi inclusion, the “totalism type” of regulatory penetration, and the “deputy type” of regulatory inclusion. These four district-level or county-level social governance cases illustrate their respective mechanisms and processes. However, the grassroots autonomy required for adaptability is limited by the party-state institutional structures. With the multiple tensions between central and local governments, “social governance” has shown certain trends and contingencies, swinging between “subcontracting” and “totalism”. From time to time, the hidden worry of “going back to the old and rigid closed-door policy” emerges.
Keywords：Adaptability、Governance Field、Governance Mechanisms、Institutional Structures、Social Governance