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Social Capital and Rural Grassroots Governance in China

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  • Min Xia

Abstract

This article examines the impacts of two types of social capital – bonding and bridging – upon the performance of grassroots selfgovernment institutions in rural China, based on an original survey of 410 villages throughout the whole of China. The findings indicate that, on the one hand, bonding social capital still has a very solid foundation in the rural areas of China. On the other, bridging social capital is in formation in Chinese villages, even though the stock of bridging social capital is currently very moderate. Moreover, this study finds that bridging social capital, as manifested in general trust and inclusive social networks, positively affected the governance performance of each surveyed village. Yet, bonding social capital, as manifested in particular trust and exclusive social networks, tends to negatively impact the performance of Chinese rural governance. These findings help clarify some theoretical issues about, and shed some light on the prospects of, the rural self-governance system in China.

Suggested Citation

  • Min Xia, 2011. "Social Capital and Rural Grassroots Governance in China," Journal of Current Chinese Affairs - China aktuell, Institute of Asian Studies, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies, Hamburg, vol. 40(2), pages 135-163.
    • Handle: RePEc:gig:chaktu:v:40:y:2011:i:2:p:135-163
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    File URL: http://hup.sub.uni-hamburg.de/giga/jcca/article/view/420
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    4. Tsai, Lily L., 2007. "Solidary Groups, Informal Accountability, and Local Public Goods Provision in Rural China," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 101(2), pages 355-372, May.
    5. Jie Chen & Chunlong Lu, 2007. "Social Capital in Urban China: Attitudinal and Behavioral Effects on Grassroots Self‐Government," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 88(2), pages 422-442, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Yunyi Qin, 2023. "Grassroots governance and social development: theoretical and comparative legal aspects," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Ruixia Song & Shuzhuo Li & Marcus W. Feldman, 2021. "Public Participation and Governance Performance in Gender-Imbalanced Central Rural China: The Roles of Trust and Risk Perception," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-20, June.
    3. Jinrui Xi & Feng Wen, 2019. "Sustainable Rural Governance: How Rural Elections in China Lead to Long-Term Social Stability?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-13, November.
    4. Lu, Jie, 2015. "Varieties of Governance in China: Migration and Institutional Change in Chinese Villages," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199378746.

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