The Institutional Performance Of "The System Of Regional Autonomy For Ethnic Minorities" In China

There is a new wave of nationalism since 1990s, after the systematic transformation in Soviet Union and East Europe, and China since then has been undergoing transition to a market economy, which, together with globalization, strengthens interdependence between nations. In this new context, issues of ethnic relations become much more complex, which poses great influences as well as challenges to state building, and especially, to "The System of Regional Autonomy for Ethnic Minorities" (SRAEM).Effective responses are needed while we face challenges. An important precondition is, we should learn detailed facts of SRAEM, and then evaluate its performance. This thesis, based on multidisciplinary perspectives and methods from Political Science, Sociology, Ethnology and Anthropology, takes a look at SRAEM running in Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu Province, checking its history to study its transition and performance there, and trying to answer these questions:a) Is SRAEM fit to China? b) Does SRAEM change as situation in China changes? c) Does SRAEM produce expected performance? d) How to improve SRAEM in the future?Firstly, SRAEM, which is a combined fruit of ethnic theories of Marxism and multiethnic habitat and development in China's long history, has a solid foundation for its institutional legitimacy and vitality. Linxia case, studied Chinese Communist Party's regional autonomy policy formulation, its structure and contents, as well as its practice after 1949, supports the conclusions above.Secondly, by checking the developing relations between the local ethnic relations and the practice of SRAEM in Linxia, it is concluded that SRAEM is of great institutional fitness, which gives flexible space for the development of ethnic relations in China's primary phase of socialism, and provides effective institutional solutions to the possible ethnic issues. Thirdly, some problems are revealed through reviewing the performance of SRAEM practiced in Linxia, such as the imperfect political institutions, administrative mechanisms, and policy environment. These problems are attributed to the current performance gap, and thus the institutions need improving.Finally, based on the case study, this thesis comes up with some policy suggestions for improving SRAEM in new era China:a) deliberating contesting institutional ideas and setting up widely accepted ones; b) improving political institutions and mechanism for institutional development; c) developing economy to consolidate material foundation; d) harmonizing ethnic relations, etc..Learned from history and reality, SRAEM, as an ultimate political institution, turns to be one of the optimized solutions chosen by the Party and government to approach ethnic minority issues, showing the political advantage of socialism. Keeping and improving SRAEM has been listed as one of the important tasks by the Party and government, and also is a right and effective way to respond challenges from ethnic minority issues, and thus to guarantee national stability, harmony and mutual prosperity in a multiethnic China.