Zouping Revisited: Adaptive Governance in a Chinese County (Studies of the Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center)

This book describes how one local government in China has governed a much larger and vastly more complex market economy without any outward changes in the formal institutions of government. The chapters document the subtle but profound changes in the way that established governing bodies operate in practice. Drawing on local fieldwork conducted over many years in a single county, the chapters describe the ways that county agencies have evolved through ad hoc bureaucratic adaptations that have profoundly altered the way that government organs operate. This was not a locality that enjoyed remarkable resource endowments or geographical advantages, yet it advanced from average levels of development to become one of the nation’s wealthiest counties. Economic progress was fragile and far from unilinear, however: some townships that made the most rapid early progress have fallen behind, while some of the poorest townships are now among the richest. Chapters on administrative financing, business-government relations, and the non-judicial interpreters of “legality” and the development of law provides new insights into the way that local government has both shaped and responded to these developments. The picture that emerges is one of institutional agility and adaptiveness in a political regime that has proven to be highly resilient in support of local economic advancement. China's economic institutions have undergone dramatic changes in recent years, but there has been surprisingly little change in political institutions. Yet the political institutions seem capable of governing a vastly more complex market economy and a rapidly changing labor force. One possible explanation, examined in Zouping Revisited, is that within existing governmental organizations there have been subtle but profound changes in the ways these bodies actually work. The authors study the local government of Zouping County and find that it has been able to evolve significantly through ad hoc bureaucratic adaptations and accommodations that have drastically changed the operation of government institutions. Zouping has long served as a window into local-level Chinese politics, economy, and culture. In this volume, the most important changes in the county over the last two decades are analyzed. The finding that institutional agility has allowed the system to adapt through decades of dramatic economic change offers critical new insights into discussions of resilience within an authoritarian regime. Book jacket China has undergone dramatic change in its economic institutions in recent years, but surprisingly little change politically. Somehow, the political institutions seem capable of governing a vastly more complex market economy and a rapidly changing labor force. One possible explanation, examined in Zouping Revisited , is that within the old organizational molds there have been subtle but profound changes to the ways these governing bodies actually work. The authors take as a case study the local government of Zouping County and find that it has been able to evolve significantly through ad hoc bureaucratic adaptations and accommodations that drastically change the operation of government institutions. Zouping has long served as a window into local-level Chinese politics, economy, and culture. In this volume, top scholars analyze the most important changes in the county over the last two decades. The picture that emerges is one of institutional agility and creativity as a new form of resilience within an authoritarian regime. Preface : Michel Oksenberg And Zouping : An Appreciation / Steven M. Goldstein -- Change Within Continuity : Zouping County Government / Jean C. Oi And Steven Goldstein -- Zouping In Historical Perspective / Guy Alitto -- Creativity And Flexibility In County And Township Economic Governance / Kay Shimizu -- Directed Improvisation In Administrative Financing / Yuen Yuen Ang -- The Evolution And Adaption Of Business-government Relations In Zouping / Martin K. Dimitrov -- Non-judicial Interpreters Of Legality And The Development Of Law In The Local State / Douglas B. Grob -- The Role Of The Organization Department In Political Selection / Melanie Manion -- Reforming And Updating Cadre Training In Zouping's Communist Party Schools / Charlotte Lee -- Institutional Agility In Authoritarian Resilience / Jean C. Oi And Steven Goldstein. Edited By Jean C. Oi And Steven M. Goldstein. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This volume describes how one local government in China has governed a much larger and vastly more complex market economy without any outward changes in the formal institutions of government. The chapters document the subtle but profound changes in the way that established governing bodies operate in practice. Drawing on local fieldwork conducted over many years in a single county, the chapters describe the ways that county agencies have evolved through ad hoc bureaucratic adaptations that have profoundly altered the way that government organs operate