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Targeted Poverty Alleviation and Households’ Livelihood Strategy in a Relation-Based Society: Evidence from Northeast China

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  • Zhe Sun

    (Center for China Public Sector Economy Research, Economics School, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China)

  • Liang Zhao

    (School of Business and Law, University of Agder, 4630 Kristiansand, Norway)

  • Shuyue Wang

    (Center for China Public Sector Economy Research, Economics School, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China)

  • Hongyin Zhang

    (Center for China Public Sector Economy Research, Economics School, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China)

  • Xinyu Wang

    (Center for China Public Sector Economy Research, Economics School, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China)

  • Zherui Wan

    (Center for China Public Sector Economy Research, Economics School, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China)

Abstract

Although China is experiencing a transition from a relation-based society to a rule-based society, relationships among acquaintances still play an important role in resource allocation, such as the allocation of policy resources. This is particularly true in rural China, where targeted poverty alleviation is prevalent and a relation-based social structure still dominates. However, it is still unknown how relationships affect the livelihood strategy of households in rural China and how poverty alleviation policies plays a role between them. Therefore, this paper embeds poverty alleviation into the relation-based society and explores how households respond to the policy in this specific context. Using grounded theory research method and the sustainable livelihoods approach (SLA) framework, this paper contains in-depth interviews and field observations from three poverty-stricken villages in Northeast China. The results show that relationships have a significant impact on the households’ livelihood strategy. In other words, the households’ livelihood strategy is embedded in the relation-based society. The types of relationships induce households to choose maintained or developmental type livelihood strategies, while relationships influence how the poverty alleviation policies affect the livelihood strategy. This study is not only an extension of the SLA in the research context, but also provides a significant perspective for enriching the long-term mechanism of targeted poverty alleviation by building a theoretical model of the relationships between a relation-based society, targeted poverty alleviation and the livelihood strategies of households.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhe Sun & Liang Zhao & Shuyue Wang & Hongyin Zhang & Xinyu Wang & Zherui Wan, 2021. "Targeted Poverty Alleviation and Households’ Livelihood Strategy in a Relation-Based Society: Evidence from Northeast China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-18, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:4:p:1747-:d:497568
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    2. Yuxuan Xu & Jie Lyu & Ying Xue & Hongbin Liu, 2022. "Intentions of Farmers to Renew Productive Agricultural Service Contracts Using the Theory of Planned Behavior: An Empirical Study in Northeastern China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-21, September.
    3. Jie Song & Yaping Cai & Yahong Wang & Salim Khan, 2022. "Health Risk, Income Effect, and the Stability of Farmers’ Poverty Alleviation in Deep Poverty Areas: A Case Study of S-County in Qinba Mountain Area," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-15, November.
    4. Yuxuan Xu & Jie Lyu & Ying Xue & Hongbin Liu, 2022. "Does the Agricultural Productive Service Embedded Affect Farmers’ Family Economic Welfare Enhancement? An Empirical Analysis in Black Soil Region in China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-22, November.

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