Non-institutional Political Participation : A Case Study of Chinese Peasants During the Transformation Period

By examining social transformation and political participation theories, this book focuses on the core concept of non-institutional political participation, which is classified into two types: induced participation and imposed participation. This classification has changed the tradition of dichotomizing political participation as either legal or illegal and enriched the conceptualization of political participation. Based on an investigation of the characteristics of Chinese peasants and the relations between interests, authority and political participation, the book examines the changes in interest structures and modes of control in rural China during the transformation period, and proposes a political participation model built upon mutual benefits.​ Foreword 6 Preface 9 Acknowledgments 11 Contents 12 1 Introduction: A Brief Review of the Theme 16 1.1 Origin of the Theme 17 1.2 Reflections on Methodology 18 1.3 Major Concepts and Analysis Framework 20 References 23 2 Social Transformation Characteristics and Political Participation 24 2.1 Social Transformation Characteristics 24 2.1.1 What Is Social Transformation? 24 2.1.2 Transformation Characteristics: An Analysis 26 2.1.3 China’s Basic Political Conditions: An Analysis 31 2.1.4 The Influence of Institutional Legacy 34 2.2 Political Participation 36 2.2.1 The Pattern of Political Participation 36 2.2.2 Approaches to Political Participation 39 2.2.3 Types of Political Participation 42 2.2.4 Non-institutional Political Participation 44 References 46 3 The History and Observation of Chinese Peasants 47 3.1 Definition of Peasants 48 3.2 From “Patriarchal Clan Peasants” to “New Peasants” 51 3.3 Peasants in Industrialization 58 3.4 Characteristics of Peasants and Their Occupational Differentiations During the Transformation Period 61 References 68 4 Adjustment of the Interest Pattern in Rural Areas and Peasants’ Induced Non-institutional Political Participation During the Transformation Period 70 4.1 Principles and Basic Contents of Citizens’ Political Participation Institution 71 4.2 Institutional Arrangement for Peasants’ Political Participation 76 4.3 Adjustment of the Interest Pattern in Rural Areas During the Transformation Period 80 4.4 Characteristics and Trends of Peasants’ Induced Non-institutional Political Participation During the Transformation Period 83 4.4.1 Analysis of Factors Inducing Peasants’ Non-institutional Participation 83 4.4.2 Characteristics of Peasants’ Induced Non-institutional Participation 85 4.4.3 Trends of Peasants’ Induced Non-institutional Participation During the Transformation Period 88 4.5 Case Studies of Peasants’ Induced Non-institutional Political Participation During the Transformation Period 91 4.5.1 Household Responsibility System Secretly Implemented by Xiaogang Villagers 91 4.5.2 The First Villagers Committee in China 92 4.5.3 Vote-Buying for the Family’s Interests 93 4.5.4 Choosing the Head of Villagers Group by “Drawing Lots” 94 4.5.5 976 Voters Reclaimed Their Right to Vote 94 4.5.6 Instigating Collective Petition and Storming the Township Government Compound 96 4.5.7 Forming Illegal Organizations 97 4.5.8 The Mass Incident in Ningdu County 97 References 99 5 Change in Rural Control Mode and Peasants’ Mandatory Non-institutional Political Participation During the Transformation Period 100 5.1 China’s Rural Control Mode During the Transformation Period 101 5.1.1 Change in Rural Management Structure 101 5.1.2 Types of Rural Social Control 104 5.1.3 Modes of Rural Social Control During the Transformation Period 108 5.1.4 Changes in Rural Control Mode and Peasants’ Political Participation During the Transformation Period 110 5.2 The Exercise of Power in China’s Rural Areas During the Transformation Period 113 5.2.1 The Exercise of Power in the Township Government 113 5.2.2 The Exercise of Power in the Village Self-Governance 115 5.2.3 The Exercise of Power in Social Organizations 119 5.2.4 The Exercise of Power in Rural Areas and Peasants’ Political Participation During the Transformation Period 123 5.3 Characteristics of Peasants’ Mandatory Non-institutional Political Participation During the Transformation Period 125 5.3.1 Analysis of Why Non-institutional Participation Was Mandatory on Peasants 126 5.3.2 Characteristics of Peasants’ Mandatory Non-institutional Political Participation 128 5.4 Innovative Subjects in Economic Organizations—Analysis of Economic Gentry’s Interference in Political Affairs 130 5.4.1 Economic Gentry—Product of Institutional Change 130 5.4.2 The Economic Gentry’s Interference in Political Affairs 132 5.4.3 The Pros and Cons of the Economic Gentry’s Interference in Political Affairs 134 5.4.4 The Influence of the Economic Gentry’s Interference Behavior on the Grassroots Political Model 136 5.5 Case Studies of Peasants’ Mandatory Non-institutional Political Participation During the Transformation Period 136 5.5.1 “Villains Governing Village”—Non-institutional Participation Within the Institutional System 136 5.5.2 Peasants’ Non-institutional Participation Triggered by Poor Rural Governance 138 5.5.3 Over Ten Thousand Peasants Sued the Township Government Over Forced Imposition 139 5.5.4 “Coping with Higher-Ups”—Peasants’ Participation to Deal with Rural Leaders 141 5.5.5 Villagers’ Non-institutional Participation Aiming for the Rights of Institutional Participation 142 5.5.6 Peasants Were Retaliated for Reporting Illegal Behavior in Financial Inspection—Non-institutional Participation Resulting from Retaliation Following Institutional Participation 146 5.5.7 The Manipulated Non-institutional Participation of Peasants 148 References 150 6 Peasants’ Interests in Political Participation and the Relationship Between Authority and Participation 151 6.1 Balance of Interests and Political Participation 152 6.1.1 Balance of Interests 152 6.1.2 Peasants’ Political Participation in the Exchange Relationship 153 6.1.3 Chinese Peasants’ Political Participation in the Exchange Relationship 154 6.1.4 The Level of Chinese Peasants’ Political Participation 154 6.2 Reasonable Use of the Authority Relationship and Political Participation 157 6.2.1 Peasants’ Political Participation in the Authority Relationship 157 6.2.2 Types of Peasants’ Institutional Non-institutional Participation During the Social Transformation 158 6.2.3 Principles for Institutional Development in Rural Areas 159 6.2.4 Exerting the Initiative of the Party and Government 160 6.3 The Institutional Role of Ideology and Political Participation 162 6.3.1 Peasants’ Political Participation in the Persuasion Relationship 162 6.3.2 The Institutional Role of Ideology 163 6.3.3 Participating Objects of Rural Politics to Learn Persuasion 166 6.3.4 Promoting Ideological and Ethical Progress During the Transformation Period 166 6.4 Cost Control and Political Participation 170 6.4.1 Cost Control 170 6.4.2 The Costs of Chinese Peasants’ Political Participation 171 References 172 Epilogue 173 Front Matter....Pages i-xvi Introduction: A Brief Review of the Theme....Pages 1-8 Social Transformation Characteristics and Political Participation....Pages 9-31 The History and Observation of Chinese Peasants....Pages 33-55 Adjustment of the Interest Pattern in Rural Areas and Peasants’ Induced Non-institutional Political Participation During the Transformation Period....Pages 57-86 Change in Rural Control Mode and Peasants’ Mandatory Non-institutional Political Participation During the Transformation Period....Pages 87-137 Peasants’ Interests in Political Participation and the Relationship Between Authority and Participation....Pages 139-160 Back Matter....Pages 161-165