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The Big Society in China: A Failed Experiment1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 August 2012

Jie Lei  and
Alan Walker
Jie Lei
Affiliation:
Sun Yat-sen University, China E-mail: leijie199147@163.com
Alan Walker
Affiliation:
Department of Sociological Studies, University of Sheffield E-mail: a.c.walker@sheffield.ac.uk
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Abstract

From 1988 the Chinese Government pursued a policy of ‘small government, big society’. The policy was determined at the highest level and, after a pilot study in Hainan Province, was implemented vigorously in a series of political reforms. It was the chief political dimension of the economic restructuring which led from state ownership of enterprises to the so-called socialist market. Like its economic counterpart, it reflected China's adoption of neo-liberal ideology. The aims were to encourage both civil society and the private market to provide social welfare and, thereby, to restrict demands on public expenditure. However, it failed to realise these goals and was recently replaced by a more state oriented approach. The article discusses the Chinese big society project and, specifically, examines why it was introduced, what it consisted of, its impact on social welfare, the criticisms it attracted and its recent changes in nature. The article concludes by considering some possible lessons for the UK Coalition Governments’ big society project and any similar initiatives attempted in other countries.

Keywords

Small governmentbig societysocialisation of social welfarecare for older peopleChina
Type
Articles
Information
Social Policy and Society , Volume 12 , Issue 1 , January 2013 , pp. 17 - 30
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012 

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