Village Governance by Economic Capable Persons: A New Pattern of Rural Politics in China

Lu Fuying
School of Economics and Political Science, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China

 
Abstract: Since the 1980s, a whole class of economic capable persons has emerged along with China’s rural economic development. This class actively participates in grass roots politics and even leads local village governance, creating a unique, novel pattern of village governance in China. This pattern has far-reaching implications for the use of power in China’s villages and for the management of grassroots communities. First it represents democracy-based authoritarian politics (democracy-authority politics and a transition away from traditional rural village “ squireship” governance. Second governance by economic capable persons surpasses the unitary, centralized People’s Commune governance, replacing it with a pluralistic model that utilizes grass-roots community management. Third, the self-governing pattern that is emerging, wherein the general public participates in a government that is dominated by an economic capable persons, demonstrates a modification of ideal villager self-governance and also a pragmatic invention based on local political realities. In the long run, this new clas emergence has the potential to evolve into a new type of localized politics; with furthe economic differentiation in rural areas, village governance will become increasingly diversified, where governing by capable persons will be just one feasible option. This pattern is already becoming common in many rural areas, especially those where the non agricultural economy is relatively developed.
Key words: village governance by economic capable persons, elite politics, rura governance and management innovation

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