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Institutional change and legitimacy via urban elections? People's awareness of elections and participation in urban neighbourhoods (shequ)
Institutioneller Wandel und Legitimität durch städtische Wahlen? Das Bewusstsein über Wahlen und Partizipation in städtischen Wohnvierteln
[working paper]
Corporate Editor
Universität Duisburg-Essen Campus Duisburg, Institut für Ostasienwissenschaften IN-EAST
Abstract "This paper analyses institutional reforms and political participation, most notably indirect and direct elections of residential committees (RC), in China's urban neighbourhoods and communities (shequ). It shows that these elections at present are not meaningful to the majority of city dwellers as ... view more
"This paper analyses institutional reforms and political participation, most notably indirect and direct elections of residential committees (RC), in China's urban neighbourhoods and communities (shequ). It shows that these elections at present are not meaningful to the majority of city dwellers as the RCs have little decision-making power and no revenues generated by a collective economy as in most of China's villages. RCs are primarily important to those weaker strata of society who depend on the state to be provided with social services and financial support - tasks that the RCs are forced to assume on behalf of higher government authorities. Nevertheless, the author finds that as limited the significance of - and knowledge about - RC elections in the daily lives of China's urban dwellers still are, they still have some influence on political awareness and participation. For instance, they make people voice more opinions in their shequ, which may be a good starting point for more direct interference in local political affairs soon to come. The paper emphasizes that RC elections have been introduced in order to enhance regime legitimacy but suggests that they may spur democratization by the rise of accountability as a conditioning factor of this legitimacy and by electoral 'habituation' as a transition to full democratic commitment. Whilst 'security first, participation second' seems to be the order of the day and the 'freedom of politics' is still more important than a concern for RC elections and shequ affairs, it remains to be seen if those elections may not soon trigger off a meaningful drive for political participation in China's cities." (author's abstract)... view less
Content: 1 Introduction; 2 The reorganization of urban residential areas and the emerging of the Shequ; 3 Elections as political phenomena; 4 Three types of urban elections; 5 Elections in the Shequs investigated; 6 Attitudes towards elections; 7 Attitudes towards the Mode of Election; 8 Electoral e... view more
Content: 1 Introduction; 2 The reorganization of urban residential areas and the emerging of the Shequ; 3 Elections as political phenomena; 4 Three types of urban elections; 5 Elections in the Shequs investigated; 6 Attitudes towards elections; 7 Attitudes towards the Mode of Election; 8 Electoral effects; 9 Why elections?; 10 Conclusion; Appendix.... view less
Keywords
China; town; urban population; municipal area; city quarter; election; participation; political reform; political change; legitimation; citizens' participation; institutional change; political participation; developing country; Far East
Classification
Political Process, Elections, Political Sociology, Political Culture
Method
descriptive study
Document language
English
Publication Year
2006
City
Duisburg
Page/Pages
26 p.
Series
Duisburger Arbeitspapiere Ostasienwissenschaften / Duisburg Working Papers on East Asian Studies, 68
ISSN
1865-858X
Status
Published Version; reviewed
Licence
Deposit Licence - No Redistribution, No Modifications
Data providerThis metadata entry was indexed by the Special Subject Collection Social Sciences, USB Cologne