Cooperative Production and Adaptive Momentum: The Constructive Logic of the New Rural Governance System in Ethnic Regions of China

Li Xintao(1. Zhou Enlai School of Government, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China; 2. Chinese Government and Policy Joint Research Center, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China)
Xiao Yutong(Zhou Enlai School of Government, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China)
Zhang Jing(Zhou Enlai School of Government, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China)

Abstract

The traditional governance model and hierarchical structure in China’s ethnic minority regions are inadequate for advancing farmers’ income and modernizing rural governance. Moreover, these traditional structures have resulted in governance challenges including unequal allocation of rural resources, absence of villagers’ agency, and lack of resource transparency. This study delves into the systematic structure of the “rural governance system in ethnic minority areas”. This study samples advanced ethnic minority township governance models from seven provinces, including Guangxi, Qinghai, and the Tibet Autonomous Region in China, and employs Grounded Theory to encode and analyze sub-elements within their governance systems. Subsequently, it investigates the construction logic of a novel rural governance system. (1) The research reveals that primary-level Party organization play a pivotal role in connecting bilateral delegated agency relationships, thereby establishing a mutually cooperative “chain-like” structure in village governance systems within ethnic minority areas. (2) The study identifies two cooperative production paths of the new rural governance in ethnic minority areas: top-down field-oriented party-government integrated governance and bottom-up legalized multi-subject collaborative governance. (3) By employing “integration means - bilateral mobilization” as the mechanism for momentum adjustment and relying on social autonomy, grassroots party organizations shape the momentum adjustment of the new rural governance system in ethnic minority areas. They do so by leveraging both formal and informal governance methods within this framework. Consequently, this study offers pertinent policy recommendations aimed at resolving the challenges of interest coordination and uneven developmentin ethnic minority areas amidst China’s governance modernization efforts.

Keywords

Rural governance system; Political party organization; Grounded theory; Ethnic minority regions

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26549/mmpp.v6i2.17291