The Revival of Family Philanthropy in China: A Fleeting Phenomenon or a Long-Term Trend?

• In Event: Emerging from Crisis: New Developments in Civil Society and Civic Action in China

Abstract

Wang Weinan

"Family philanthropy" may not be a new topic but in Chinese philanthropy it has only recently experienced an uptick in attention. Though family-backed charitable activities have a long history in Chinese tradition, with the development of the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) economy, society, politics and related legal systems, "family philanthropy" is only now seeing a new period of opportunity. This period of opportunity is affected by several factors. From the perspective of wealth accumulation, 40 years of rapid economic growth have led to the emergence of the PRC’s first wealthy class. Now, this class is gradually beginning to consider intergenerational inheritance, producing the material conditions for the “revival.” From the perspective of the political and social environment, under Xi Jinping, the discourse has changed to emphasize “tertiary distribution” (第三次分) and “common prosperity” (共同富裕) and to promote “traditional culture” such as family inheritance. Such shifts produce an encouraging socio-political atmosphere for the “revival.”

From an institutional perspective, the evolving legislation on charity and trusts is gradually creating the institutional infrastructure needed for the “revival.” Shenzhen and other local governments have also introduced a series of preferential policies, for instance for family offices. Despite such favorable conditions, can family philanthropy really see a revival in China? If what we are seeing is truly a “revival,” is this a short-term phenomenon or will it survive longer term? Can this trend help to achieve sustained, more equitable prosperity? To answer these questions, using second-hand empirical data, this article aims to introduce a heuristic of party-state-society-family, pairing “policy analysis” with “discourse analysis” to analyze the current status of family philanthropy in China, and tentatively discuss its prospects.

Finding a place for the party: debunking the “party-state” and rethinking the state-society relationship in China’s one-party system
Snape, H. and Wang, W. (2020) Finding a place for the party: debunking the “party-state” and rethinking the state-society relationship in China’s one-party system. Journal of Chinese Governance, 5(4), pp. 477-502. (doi: 10.1080/23812346.2020.1796411)

Pioneers and possibilities: Reflecting on Chinese NGO development through oral history, Made in China Journal, January 2021.

Author

• Weinan Wang, Centre for Philanthropy, University of Kent