| ID | 166875 |
| Title Proper | Village Reconstruction in Rural China |
| Other Title Information | the importance of being urban |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Wilson, Saul |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | Using examples from village reconstruction programmes in rural China, we show that local cadres often prioritize project visibility over publicized policy goals. While central policies and the academic literature emphasized land reclamation or rural welfare, local cadres – and the projects they designed – tended instead to focus on projecting an image of urban, wealthy villagers. Where such image-driven behaviour is most deleterious to villagers, it can evince opposition. We observe that some areas avoid conflict by making these projects voluntary or adjusting projects to local conditions. However, we provide a case study of a village with strong village leadership, showing that contrary to recent claims that village cadres are increasingly impotent, some maintain the authority to override widespread objections from villagers.
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| `In' analytical Note | China Quarterly , No.238; Jun 2019: p.438-460 |
| Journal Source | China Quarterly NO 238 |
| Key Words | Power ; Rural Politics ; Village Reconstruction ; Image Building ; Village Cadre |