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The socio-political economy of nuclear energy in China and India

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  • Sovacool, Benjamin K.
  • Valentine, Scott Victor

Abstract

This article investigates forms of social, political, and economic organization conducive to nuclear power expansion. We begin by developing a theoretical framework of nuclear socio-political economy based primarily upon the evolution of nuclear energy in France. This framework posits that (1) strong state involvement in guiding economic development, (2) centralization of national energy planning, (3) campaigns to link technological progress to a national revitalization, (4) influence of technocratic ideology on policy decisions, (5) subordination of challenges to political authority, and (6) low levels of civic activism are influential factors in supporting development of nuclear power. Accordingly, we seek to verify the causal properties of these six catalysts for nuclear power expansion in two nations – India and China – that are on the brink of becoming major nuclear powers. We validate our framework by confirming the presence of the six catalysts during the initial nuclear power developmental periods in each country. We also apply our framework as a predictive tool by considering how present conditions in the two nations will impact nuclear power development trends. We conclude by highlighting the emergence of a potential seventh catalyst – the influence of greenhouse gas emission abatement policy on nuclear power development.

Suggested Citation

  • Sovacool, Benjamin K. & Valentine, Scott Victor, 2010. "The socio-political economy of nuclear energy in China and India," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 35(9), pages 3803-3813.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:35:y:2010:i:9:p:3803-3813
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2010.05.033
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Xu, Yi-chong, 2008. "Nuclear energy in China: Contested regimes," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 33(8), pages 1197-1205.
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Cited by:

    1. Zhang, Long & Sovacool, Benjamin K. & Ren, Jingzheng & Ely, Adrian, 2017. "The Dragon awakens: Innovation, competition, and transition in the energy strategy of the People’s Republic of China, 1949–2017," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 634-644.
    2. Lars Sorge & Anne Neumann & Christian von Hirschhausen & Ben Wealer, 2019. "Nuclear Power, Democracy, Development, and Nuclear Warheads: Determinants for Introducing Nuclear Power," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 1811, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    3. Jobert, Thomas & Karanfil, Fatih & Tykhonenko, Anna, 2013. "On the structure and form of the GDP–nuclear nexus: New perspectives and new findings," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 1553-1561.
    4. Muhammad Umar Bello & David Martin @ Daud Juanil & Rozilah Kasim & Muhammad Najib Razali & Yunos Ngadiman & Talib Bon, 2018. "Evidence of Municipal Awareness as a Construct for Enhancing Citizen Satisfaction in Municipal Council of Malaysia," Traektoriâ Nauki = Path of Science, Altezoro, s.r.o. & Dialog, vol. 4(2), pages 1001-1012, February.
    5. Chi, Cheryl S.F. & Chen, Ling, 2012. "The sources of divergent practices in China's nuclear power sector," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 348-357.
    6. Britta Rennkamp & Radhika Bhuyan, 2016. "The social shaping of nuclear energy technology in South Africa," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2016-19, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    7. Evensen, Darrick & Sovacool, Benjamin K., 2024. "Political economy of low-carbon electricity: Governance effects across 198 countries," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 189(PB).
    8. Britta Rennkamp & Radhika Bhuyan, 2016. "The social shaping of nuclear energy technology in South Africa," WIDER Working Paper Series 019, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    9. Phil Johnstone & Andy Stirling, 2015. "Comparing Nuclear Power Trajectories inGermany And the UK: From ‘Regimes’ to ‘Democracies’ in Sociotechnical Transitions and Discontinuities," SPRU Working Paper Series 2015-18, SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex Business School.
    10. Yang, Chi-Jen, 2011. "A comparison of the nuclear options for greenhouse gas mitigation in China and in the United States," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(6), pages 3025-3028, June.
    11. Yelizaveta Mikhailovna Sharonova, 2021. "Quantitative Cross-country Analysis of Nuclear Power Discourse in Politically Distinct India and Russia," South Asian Survey, , vol. 28(2), pages 205-221, September.
    12. Valentine, Scott Victor, 2014. "The socio-political economy of electricity generation in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 416-429.
    13. Ramana, M.V. & Saikawa, Eri, 2011. "Choosing a standard reactor: International competition and domestic politics in Chinese nuclear policy," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(12), pages 6779-6789.
    14. Huang, Gillan Chi-Lun & Chen, Rung-Yi & Park, Byung-Bae, 2021. "Democratic innovations as a party tool: A comparative analysis of nuclear energy public participation in Taiwan and South Korea," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    15. Neumann, Anne & Sorge, Lars & von Hirschhausen, Christian & Wealer, Ben, 2020. "Democratic quality and nuclear power: Reviewing the global determinants for the introduction of nuclear energy in 166 countries," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 63.

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