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The Achievements, Contradictions and Demise of the Rural Collectives in Songzi County, China

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  • Zhun Xu

Abstract

type="main"> The literature on Chinese rural collectives offers different views on the causes of their demise in the early 1980s. Some argue it was a result of egalitarianism and inefficiency, while others emphasize the coercive nature of the decollectivization campaign. Using Songzi County as a case study, this article reviews both the achievements and the problems of the rural collectives and concludes that they can claim some remarkable achievements. It also finds that work avoidance and inefficiency were caused by stratification rather than egalitarianism. While the demise of rural collectives was mostly due to political pressure from the government, the lack of socialist political process contributed to the peasants’ passiveness in failing to resist this major institutional change.

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  • Zhun Xu, 2015. "The Achievements, Contradictions and Demise of the Rural Collectives in Songzi County, China," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 46(2), pages 339-365, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:devchg:v:46:y:2015:i:2:p:339-365
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    1. Lin, Justin Yifu, 1988. "The Household Responsibility System in China's Agricultural Reform: A Theoretical and Empirical Study," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 36(3), pages 199-224, Supplemen.
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    4. Putterman, Louis, 1988. "Ration Subsidies and Incentives in the Pre-reform Chinese Commune," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 55(218), pages 235-247, May.
    5. Kung, James Kaising, 1994. "Egalitarianism, subsistence provision, and work incentives in China's agricultural collectives," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 22(2), pages 175-187, February.
    6. Riskin, Carl, 1998. "Seven questions about the Chinese famine of 1959-1961," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 9(2), pages 111-124.
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