Jean-Marc F. Blanchard and Kun-Chin Lin, eds., Governance, Domestic Change, and Social Policy in China: 100 Years After the Xinhai Revolution

Excerpt

In Governance, Domestic Change and Social Policy in China, the contributing authors cover 7 different aspects of China from the Republic of China (ROC: 1912–49); Socialist China (PRC: 1949–79) and China under Reform and Economic Opening (PRC: 1978–2017) in seven chapters. The editors, Blanchard and Lin, introduced the book with a historical perspective. Contrary to the state-society dichotomy, the authors brought forward the interstices which suggest four major expectations in Chinese politics under comparative historical analysis: firstly, the conflicts as well as compromises between state actors and societal interests exist in different arenas. Secondly, organized social interests do not intrinsically seek autonomy or resist extension of state leverages over the operations of NGOs. Thirdly, “State in Society” matters as state power stems directly from the evolving social structures. Finally, the resulting unintended social responses arises from state attempts to carve out social spaces (p.9). Throughout the period after the Xinhai Revolution (1911), the authors in this book share three main findings: Firstly, social welfare provision had the sense of a social contract, defining citizenship and attempting to reduce class inequalities; secondly, politics is more centered on domestic problems, and state control of society is gradually increasing; third, Chinese decision-makers understand that economic performance alone is inadequate for lasting legitimacy and social order (p.11). Henceforth, State and Society do not necessarily channel to power conflict. …