Paradoxes of Labour Reform: Chinese Labour Theory and Practice from Socialism to Market (Chinese Worlds)

Annotation Labour reform is only one component of the larger process of reforming economy and society experienced by China over the last three decades. This book uses historical analytical tools in order to shed light on how policymaking takes place in contemporary China: an experimental and self-fulfilling process where decisions are taken only long after being introduced into daily practice. It will be valuable to students of contemporary Chinese society and key to the understanding of 25 years of Chinese labour reform 1. Labour Theory And Practice And The Making Of A Market: An Introduction. 1.1. The Issue. 1.2. Chinese Labour And The Making Of A Market: An Overview And Some Basic Assumptions. 1.3. Labour Theory Regarding The Market: Some Preliminary Notes And A Breakdown Into Periods. 1.4. Precis Of The Research -- 2. Distribution According To What? From Politics To Labour. 2.1. Ownership And Distribution: The Limits Of The Chinese Debate. 2.2. 'distribution According To Labour' (datl): Rehabilitation Of A Socialist Principle. 2.3. The 1977 Conferences: The Rehabilitation Of Dismantled Ideologies. 2.4. The 1978 Fourth Conference On Datl: Writing The Line For The Plenum. 2.5. Towards An Enlargement Of The Labour Debate -- 3. Back To The Future: The Initial Paths Of Labour Reform (1977-1983). 3.1. Productivity Boost And Social Discontent: The Contradictory Roots Of Labour Reform. 3.2. Distribution And Wages: The First Focus Of Labour Reform. 3.3. A New Contradiction: Employment And Efficiency. 3.4. Enterprises: Reforming The Danwei System -- 4. What Is Labour? Towards The Marketisation Of Labour Relations (1984-1991). 4.1. From Distribution To Employment: Labour Relations And Social Constraints. 4.2. A Changing Policy Strategy: Labour Relations Discussed. 4.3. Labour Contracts And The Nature Of Labour Relations -- 5. The Contractualisation Of Labour Relations. 5.1. The 'structural' Economic Reform. 5.2. The Labour Contract. 5.3. Contracts And Labour Mobility: Moving The Dual Market To The Cities. 5.4. From Work-unit To Employer -- 6. Beyond Socialist Labour: The Labour Market Debate In The 1990s. 6.1. Labour Market: An Open Issue. 6.2. The Mechanism Of Labour Allocation. 6.3. The Reshaping Of Labour Relations. 6.4. Conclusion -- 7. Epilogue: Labour Market And The State: Informalisation Or Institutionalisation? 7.1. Informalisation And The Labour Market. 7.2. The Labour Market And The Floating Population. 7.3. Working For A Boss: The Case Of The Construction Industry. 7.4. Ethnic Economies: The Case Of Ethnic Villages In Beijing. 7.5. The 'mechanism' Of Formal Labour Markets. 7.6. Mobility And Immobility In The Labour Market. 7.7. A Highly Institutionalised Labour Market. 7.8. Conclusion. Luigi Tomba. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 221-238) And Index. Labour reform is only one component of the larger process of reforming economy and society experienced by China during the late 1970s, 80s and 90s, and it is probably that part of this process where paradoxes emerge most clearly. This book suggests a two-level analysis: labour theory and consequent policy- and law-making emerging from a rapidly changing ideological environment from the beginning of Deng's Reform clash with the social and practical contradictions of policy implementation that emerges in the second part of the book, together with an increasing "resistance" by society vis a vis the state's overall policies as well as with an increasing - functional and tolerated - "informalization" of labour practices. The book borrows historical analytical tools in order to shed light on how policy-making takes place in contemporary China: an experimental and self-fulfilling process where decisions are taken only long after being introduced into daily practice. It should be of interest to students of contemporary Chinese society and help in the understanding of 25 years of Chinese labour reform This book uses historical analytical tools in order to shed light on how policymaking takes place in contemporary China. A valuable resource for students of contemporary Chinese society and for an understanding of Chinese labour reform.