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Land Requisitions and State–Village Power Restructuring in Southern China*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 November 2015

Siu Wai Wong
Siu Wai Wong*
Affiliation:
Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Email: ivy.sw.wong@polyu.edu.hk.
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Abstract

Land requisitions for urban development have led to a rapid growth of wealthy, autonomous villages in southern China. However, the underlying causes of this emerging phenomenon and its impact on local governance have been largely unexplored by the existing literature. Through an in-depth analysis of the contestations and negotiations between the local state and villagers when dealing with the various problems arising from land compensation, this study explains how and why land requisitions strengthened the collective power of villagers in defending their rightful interests. This bolstered power has in turn forced the local state constantly to adjust its tactics when addressing the needs of villagers in order to avoid widespread conflicts and potential social unrest. The findings provide new insights into the complexities of land conflicts and their actual impact on state–village power restructuring in southern China.

摘要

在中国的南方, 大量征用农民土地发展城市已催生了一批富裕、财政独立的村庄 (社区) 。然而, 这种现象产生的真正原因及其对地方治理的具体影响却长期被学术界所忽略。通过深入分析地方政府和村民在处理土地补偿问题上的角力与妥协, 本文解释 了征地如何逐渐强化了村民捍卫合法权益的集体力量, 反过来迫使地方政府不断地调整补偿方案及政策回应村民的需求, 从而避免引发更广泛的冲突和潜在的社会动荡。本文揭示了中国南方土地矛盾的复杂性, 并重新审视了解决这些矛盾的过程和结果如何改变了政府与村庄 (社区) 之间的权力关系。

Keywords

land requisition; China; conflicts; resistance; urbanization; local state; self-governance征地农村发展土地矛盾城市化地方治理村庄自治
Type
Articles
Information
The China Quarterly , Volume 224 , December 2015 , pp. 888 - 908
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Copyright
Copyright © The China Quarterly 2015 

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