Dismantling and Rebuilding: The "State-Rural Society" in the Process of Modernization: The "State-Rural Society" in the Process of Modernization

Author: Liu Ya
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-06-01
Features: Since the inception of modernization and the disintegration of traditional rural institutional networks, the "state-rural society" has entered a process of reconstruction. The efforts of insightful individuals during the Republican era, the experiments of the People's Commune, and the advancement of village self-governance all reflect the strides of this reconstruction, with village self-governance in particular highlighting the institutional design features of democratic participation. However, the integration of "institution-relation" and the practice of majority participation reveal the inherent shortcomings of the self-governance system, as well as the dual constraints of the political environment and the rural foundation. To this end, building a modern "state-rural society" with a rich public sphere not only requires democratic governance forms but also demands modernized governance structures; it requires joint efforts at the state, rural, and both-state-and-rural levels.