Chinese unit society: Discussion. Thinking and research

Author: Li Hanlin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-07-01
Features: The main characteristic of Chinese society in the 20th century was the "work unit society." In this type of society, people knew each other, understood one another, and lived together day and night, influencing and relying on one another. It was a "society without strangers." Here, the life of the work unit became the norm of people's social life, and the norm of their social behavior. Previous studies on the work unit emphasized its role as an important organizational form. Through years of reflection and empirical research, the author of this book proposes the idea of the work unit as a system and structure. The author explores the mechanisms of social control in China's work unit society from a macro perspective; analyzes the social processes and consequences of power, resources, and interdependence within China's work unit organizations from a meso perspective; and focuses on the behavioral orientations and characteristics of people in China's work units from a micro perspective. In short, the work unit does not merely mean a "workplace"; more importantly, it represents a chosen lifestyle, a form of dependence and reliance.