Transformation And Characteristics Of The Structure Of Rural Governance In The Central-western China

By analyzing the agency and mode of rural governance of a town in the west region of Sichuan Province, this research studied the changes and Characteristics of the structure of rural governance in the area of Central-western China after the reform of rural tax. The rural governance shown a large difference before and after the reform and opening of China, and the transforming process was influenced by a variety of factors, like the change of mode of production and distribution, the emergence of household business units, efflux of rural labor and wealth, increasing gap between rich and poor, the relationship of public good and individual household, the relationship between the rural governance agency and mode and individual interest, and the organization and participation of the rural self-governance process which was effected by the above relationship, and the emerging problem of equity, fairness and justice, etc. By analyzing the effect of these factors, this research try to reveal the transformation, mode and characteristics of the contemporary rural governance from the socio-economical perspective.This study find that the rural governmental agency in the central-western area could be referred to as the "key force farmer." For the social-economic environment usually shape its corresponding elites. In the typical town of central-western area, such as Ling town, competent workers usually left the town to seek better opportunities, and this cause the deficiency of rural governmental agency. But there is still some economic opportunities and recourses to provide the young rural inhabitants with comparable income as those whose choose to work outside the town, and they constitute the group that we would refer to as "key force farmer." They are not the riches encouraged by the government as the modal. Most of them are rural inhabitants of middle income, with no fortune and no powerful social connection. They cannot live without participation in the agricultural production and the rural environment, and they work on the agricultural and sideline production chain and the related distribution and service process, or carry out commercial activities that provide goods for the rural life. As with other rural inhabitants, the key force farmers have all their economic and social connections in the rural area, and participate in multiple economical activities, but they occupy a salient social position in the village for the advantage of their youth, physical health, cultural skill and capacity for action. They get more benefits from the national preferential policies for the farmers and the construction of rural public goods, and they are willing to be involved in the public affairs of the village under the invisible demands of rural social relations and public opinions. These new forces are replacing the old officials in the rural governance.The fact that key force farmers become the agency of rural governance is the result of interactions between national, societal and local forces. After the rural tax reform, and with the changes of the town-village relation and the masses-cadres relation in rural area, the transformation of the goal of national governance and governmental institute made a huge influence upon the mission, role and capacity of town government, and caused the latter's deficiency of motivation and capacity to control the rural governmental structure. This indirectly lead to the weakened governance of rural governmental structure. And the change of the role and function of rural governmental structure provide the political foundation for the governance of key force farmers. The flattening of the rural political structure also contribute for the key force farmers'abilities for maintaining the stability and order of the village.Considering the governmental mechanism of the new governance agency, the advantage of social-economic status of the key force farmers is not prominent, unlike the riches and able men in the eastern area who rely on their personal social connection and fortune to govern the village. But with the help preferential policies for the farmers, key force farmers use these recourses to mobilize the villagers and to achieve construction and self-governance of the village. In the process of rural governance, they avoid the characteristics of powerful control, private governance and political exclusion that appeared with the governance by the riches and by the able men. On the contrary, their governmental mode show their own characteristics, like democratic participation, decision making based on agreement, negotiation and collective vote, mutual help, free participating mechanism and collective supervision of public goods, etc.. Judging from results, they could achieve the goal of democratic governance by public management of the public recourses. After all, all these would be enlightening for the study and practice of rural management, rural governance and mechanism refinement in the era after the reform and opening of China.