The Transformation of Governance in Rural China : Market, Finance, and Political Authority

The outbreak of organised, violent peasant protests across the Chinese countryside from the late 1990s to the early 2000s has attracted much scholarly interest. In this study, An Chen endeavours to understand from these protests the question of the Chinese government's control in the countryside and the impact of this violent resistance on China's rural governance in the context of market liberalisation. Utilising extensive field research and data collected from surveys across rural China, the book provides an in-depth exploration of how rural governance in China has been transformed following two major tax reforms: the tax-for-fee reform of 2002–4, and the abolition of agricultural taxes (AAT) in 2005–6. In a multidimensional analysis which combines approaches from political science, economics, finance and sociology, Chen argues that private economic power has merged with political power in a way that has reshaped village governance in China, threatening to fundamentally change its political structure. This Book Started Twelve Years Ago As A Much Smaller Project Which Was Intended To Explore China's Peasant Burdens And Grievances. At That Time, I Saw No Clear Signs Suggesting That The Chinese Countryside Was On The Eve Of A Great Political And Economic Transformation. I Did Not Anticipate That This Project Would Take So Many Years To Complete And Eventually Expand To Such A Scope. The Two Major Rural Reforms In The First Decade Of The Twenty-first Century, Namely The Tax-for-fee Reform In 2002-2004 And The Abolition Of Agricultural Taxes In 2005-2006, Whose Effects Were Reinforced By The Ongoing Marketization Of The Rural Economy And The Rapid Deterioration Of Rural Finances, Have Changed China's Rural Politics Almost Beyond Recognition. In Terms Of Its Economic, Political, And Social Magnitude, This Transformation By No Means Pales In Comparison With Agricultural Decollectivization Around The Turn Of The 1970s-- 1. Introduction -- 2. The Changing Foundations Of Communist Rule In China's Rural Society -- 3. The 1994 Tax Reform And Rural Fiscal Crises -- 4. The Township In The Era Of Reform -- 5. The Mechanisms Of Political Power In Villages -- 6. Village Finance: Its Deterioration And Consequences -- 7. The Abolition Of Agricultural Taxes And Village Governance -- 8. Transformed Peasant Society And Re-alignment In Rural Politics -- 9. Entrepreneur Cadres As New Rural Ruling Elites -- 10. Prospects For China's Rural Governance -- Appendices. An Chen. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 335-373) And Index. "This book started twelve years ago as a much smaller project which was intended to explore China's peasant burdens and grievances. At that time, I saw no clear signs suggesting that the Chinese countryside was on the eve of a great political and economic transformation. I did not anticipate that this project would take so many years to complete and eventually expand to such a scope. The two major rural reforms in the first decade of the twenty-first century, namely the tax-for-fee reform in 2002-2004 and the abolition of agricultural taxes in 2005-2006, whose effects were reinforced by the ongoing marketization of the rural economy and the rapid deterioration of rural finances, have changed China's rural politics almost beyond recognition. In terms of its economic, political, and social magnitude, this transformation by no means pales in comparison with agricultural decollectivization around the turn of the 1970s"-- Provided by publisher "This book started twelve years ago as a much smaller project which was intended to explore China's peasant burdens and grievances. At that time, I saw no clear signs suggesting that the Chinese countryside was on the eve of a great political and economic transformation. I did not anticipate that this project would take so many years to complete and eventually expand to such a scope. The two major rural reforms in the first decade of the twenty-first century, namely the tax-for-fee reform in 2002-2004 and the abolition of agricultural taxes in 2005-2006, whose effects were reinforced by the ongoing marketization of the rural economy and the rapid deterioration of rural finances, have changed China's rural politics almost beyond recognition. In terms of its economic, political, and social magnitude, this transformation by no means pales in comparison with agricultural decollectivization around the turn of the 1970s"--Résumé de l'éditeur 1. Introduction; 2. The changing foundations of Communist rule in China's rural society; 3. The 1994 tax reform and rural fiscal crises; 4. The township in the era of reform; 5. The mechanisms of political power in villages; 6. Village finance: its deterioration and consequences; 7. The abolition of agricultural taxes and village governance; 8. Transformed peasant society and realignment in rural politics; 9. Entrepreneur cadres as new rural ruling elites; 10. Prospects for China's rural governance; Appendices; Bibliography; Index. Utilising extensive field research and data collected from surveys across rural China, An Chen provides an in-depth exploration of the transformation of governance in rural China following two major tax reforms: the tax-for-fee reform of 2002-4, and the abolition of agricultural taxes (AAT) in 2005-6. Explores the economic, social and financial changes that have transformed China's rural governance over the past twenty years