
The Sinews of State Power
The Rise and Demise of The Cohesive Local State in Rural China
Juan Wang(Author)
Oxford University Press Inc
Published on 4. May 2017
Book
Hardback
256 pages
978-0-19-060573-5 (ISBN)
Description
The Sinews of State Power seeks to explain why rural China has been so unstable since 2000, despite numerous national reforms. Using original fieldwork, it traces the rise and demise of cohesive local states in rural China since the Maoist era. It shows that, the county, township, and village levels of government, when in alliance, have facilitated economic growth and caused social grievances. However, national reforms redressing local deviation, together with individual responses from each level of administration, have dismantled elite alliances, and consequentially undermined the extractive, coercive, and responsive capacity of the state. This book forms dialogue with two fields of inquiry in China studies and comparative politics. First, researches on farmer protest often either focus on farmers' grievances, organizations, and strategies, or examine responses from the state as a uniform entity. This book, instead, highlights the anthropology of the state by looking into elite cohesion across administrative levels that determines the exercise of state capacity. Second, studies of regime stability or endurance have stressed holistic factors, such as institutional adaptability, political culture, or epidemic corruption. The Sinews of State Power instead revisits the fundamental components of a capable government - a coherent and robust local leadership that enables the function of a state.
Reviews / Votes
"This highly academic work contains statements about the methodology of main survey questions and a list of interviewees, as well as extensive notes and bibliography. It belongs in academic libraries with significant East Asian holdings." -- CHOICEMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Target group
College/higher education
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm
Width: 161 mm
Thickness: 18 mm
Weight
552 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-060573-5 (9780190605735)
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Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
03/2017
1st Edition
OUP eBook
€44.99
Available for download

E-Book
03/2017
1st Edition
OUP eBook
€34.99
Available for download
Person
Juan Wang is Assistant Professor of Political Science, McGill University.
Author
Assistant Professor of Political ScienceAssistant Professor of Political Science, McGill University
Content
Table of Contents
Introduction
The Basics of Government: Cohesive and Robust Local States
Chapter I
Rural Government and Farmer Protest in Comparative Perspective
Chapter II
The Formation and Institutionalization of Intra-State Cohesion
Chapter III
The Changes and Continuity of Local State Cohesion
Chapter IV
Dismantling The Local State: The Isolated Village Cadres
Chapter V
Implications: Declining Coercive and Extractive Capacities of the State
Conclusion
Introduction
The Basics of Government: Cohesive and Robust Local States
Chapter I
Rural Government and Farmer Protest in Comparative Perspective
Chapter II
The Formation and Institutionalization of Intra-State Cohesion
Chapter III
The Changes and Continuity of Local State Cohesion
Chapter IV
Dismantling The Local State: The Isolated Village Cadres
Chapter V
Implications: Declining Coercive and Extractive Capacities of the State
Conclusion