Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- List of Figures
- List of Tables
- Acknowledgments
- 1 Introduction
- 2 A Theory of Political Control
- 3 The Communist Party’s Governance Challenge
- 4 Cultivating Civil Society
- 5 Co-optation
- 6 Infiltration
- 7 Conclusion
- A Additional Figures and Tables
- B Survey Design
- C Qualitative Research Design
- Bibliography
- Index
- Other Books in the Series
5 - Co-optation
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 18 November 2019
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- List of Figures
- List of Tables
- Acknowledgments
- 1 Introduction
- 2 A Theory of Political Control
- 3 The Communist Party’s Governance Challenge
- 4 Cultivating Civil Society
- 5 Co-optation
- 6 Infiltration
- 7 Conclusion
- A Additional Figures and Tables
- B Survey Design
- C Qualitative Research Design
- Bibliography
- Index
- Other Books in the Series
Summary
In this chapter, I turn my attention to the dynamics of co-optation of local notables. One might expect that the inclusion of communal elites in local political institutions might strengthen the voice of villagers and make local governments more responsive. By contrast, I argue that when communal elites are included in formal political institutions in rural China, they help the state control their group. Drawing on evidence from case studies, an original experiment, and a national dataset, I show how the inclusion of local elites in formal political bodies allows the state to requisition land and enforce family planning policy while forestalling collective action. Case studies from Scotland and the United States suggest that this mechanism of informal control may have applicability beyond China. When the leaders of communal groups remain outside the state, however, they can help to organize resistance against it.
Keywords
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- Information
- The Art of Political Control in China , pp. 120 - 153Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2019