Description: Useful Complaints
Useful Complaints
Worldcat Site
With extensive qualitative and quantitative data collected in China, this book develops an informational theory to account for the coexistence of China’s resilient authoritarianism and its high decentralization.... Methodologically, Chen substantiates her points by detailed cases, in-depth interviews and statistical analysis of petitions.... Students, researchers, and teachers who are interested in the Chinese petition system would gain insights from this book.
Jing Chen
Lexington Books
Sep, 2016
9781498534536
81,023
Political Science--GeneralPolitical Science--Comparative PoliticsPolitical Science--Public Affairs & AdministrationPolitical Science--World / Asian
Posted by Emily Tyler
7 views
0 comments

Chapters
Useful Complaints
Acknowledgments
Useful Complaints
This book is based on the dissertation I wrote at Princeton University. Over the years, I have accumulated a lot of intellectual debt to so many people. In particular, I would like to thank my dissertation committee: Professors Lynn T. White III, Thomas Christensen, Atul Kohli, and Mark Beissinger. They have all served as my role models in the scholarly pursuit of knowledge and understanding. As...
Jing Chen
Lexington Books
1,041

Useful Complaints
1 - Introduction
Useful Complaints
China might be the next authoritarian state to suffer a major collapse. Many observers over the years have predicted the demise of the People’s Republic...
Jing Chen
Lexington Books
12,542

Illustrations in this section
  • 9781498534536:F01-001
    9781498534536:F01-001
  • 9781498534536:F01-002
    9781498534536:F01-002
    • Useful Complaints
    2 - Villagers’ Petitions
    Useful Complaints
    The relationship between the central and local governments in China possesses a typical principal-agent nature. The center as the principal has control over local governments (the agent), yet the center must rely on local governments to act on its behalf. The responsibility delegated to these lower levels of government...
    Jing Chen
    Lexington Books
    13,386

    Illustrations in this section
  • 9781498534536:F02-001
    9781498534536:F02-001
    • Useful Complaints
    3 - Petitions and Stability
    Useful Complaints
    The petition system has for the most part effectively ensured the stability of decentralized authoritarianism in China. However, its efficiency is unequally distributed across China. The subnational collapse of political order, manifested...
    Jing Chen
    Lexington Books
    7,575

    Useful Complaints
    4 - Petitioning Beijing
    Useful Complaints
    Our previous chapters have examined the importance of the petition system’s informational and stabilizing effects. In connection with this, we have demonstrated how the petition system resolves the grievances of citizens at the village and township levels (see chapter 2 and chapter 3). We claimed that villagers are the weakest group in China and that village and township governments are the...
    Jing Chen
    Lexington Books
    11,242

    Illustrations in this section
  • 9781498534536:F04-001
    9781498534536:F04-001
  • 9781498534536:F04-002
    9781498534536:F04-002
  • 9781498534536:F04-003
    9781498534536:F04-003
  • 9781498534536:F04-004
    9781498534536:F04-004
  • 9781498534536:F04-005
    9781498534536:F04-005
    • Useful Complaints
    5 - The Policy Effects of Petitions
    Useful Complaints
    The petition system has played no small role in the survival and success of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The functions of the petition system are multifaceted and complex. Its functions are not restricted to information collection, the redressing of individual grievances at the personal level, and the monitoring of local officials, as shown in previous chapters. In addition to all these...
    Jing Chen
    Lexington Books
    10,810

    Useful Complaints
    6 - Who Petitions?
    Useful Complaints
    In the previous chapters, we have examined the role of petitions in conveying nuanced information to upper level governments and their role in holding local officials accountable at subnational levels. We have also documented the effect of petitions on the policy-making process in China, and we have seen petitioners in action as their collective voice helped to set agendas that brought about...
    Jing Chen
    Lexington Books
    8,719

    Useful Complaints
    7 - Conclusion
    Useful Complaints
    This book explores the effect of the petition system on the survival of the CCP and its brand of decentralized authoritarianism. Specifically, we examine how the petition system helps the CCP to alleviate threats from Chinese citizens and...
    Jing Chen
    Lexington Books
    9,812

    Illustrations in this section
  • 9781498534536:F07-001
    9781498534536:F07-001
    • Useful Complaints
    Bibliography
    Useful Complaints
    Jing Chen
    Lexington Books
    4,537

    Useful Complaints
    Index
    Useful Complaints
    abnormal petitioners,4.18 ,
    Jing Chen
    Lexington Books
    885

    Useful Complaints
    About the Author
    Useful Complaints
    Jing Chen is assistant professor of political science at Hartwick College. She received her PhD in politics from Princeton University and her BA in international politics from Peking University. Her research interests are state-society relations and international relations in Pacific Asia. Her research has been published in an edited volume and a variety of journals,...
    Jing Chen
    Lexington Books
    139