Interacting for Development: The State-Society Engagement in Chinese Villages

• In Event: Poster Session: Comparative Politics I & II
  In Poster Session: Poster Session: Comparative Politics II

Abstract

Why and how does the same state development campaign produce different results in local communities, despite their similar starting conditions? In contrast to the previous literature, which traditionally focuses on either top-down state intervention or bottom-up public participation, this article emphasizes the state-society interaction as a major determinant of development patterns. I propose a theory of interactive development and a typology of state-society engagement in local communities. The interaction between two factors, state mobilization and social embeddedness, determines the combination and balance of the state and societal development efforts, respectively. When both are strong, we get interactive development. Interactive development differs from other patterns of development, such as predatory, null, and community-driven development, in that it allows for mutually communicative and cooperative dynamics between the state and society in decision-making and policy implementation. I compare different pairings of mobilization and embeddedness to see how they affect development patterns in China, through the examination of Targeted Poverty Alleviation Program (2014-2020). Interviews and participant observation in East China villages support the argument that the success of a development campaign in a local community is contingent on striking the right balance between state intervention and community embeddedness in incorporating concerted efforts into development projects. This study adds to the literature on the intersection of development studies and state-society relations and draws attention to substantial “interactive” practice in state-led development projects.

Author

• Xin Han, Montana State University