| Scholars have long wanted to understand how leaders find out about pressing issues that require their attention. In this dissertation, I examine institutions that promote citizen contact and make leaders more aware of problems within the polity. Political participation by ordinary citizens tends to be overlooked by students of non-democratic regimes, even though common individuals are the holders of precisely the information that leaders seek. To garner this feedback, regime elites formalize the means by which citizens can get in touch with them. Through these channels, elites gather information about local affairs, and citizens have the opportunity to report their problems.; In this dissertation, I explore institutions that facilitate a type of formally sanctioned political participation known as contacting. I analyze specific contacting institutions within modern China as a way to understand the evolution of long-standing patterns of elite-mass communication. Chinese complaint bureaus, which have origins in imperial times, were established in the 1950s to promote popular input in policies and decision making and to serve as a conduit for officials to reach out to the masses. I argue that by examining these institutionalized means for soliciting mass opinions, we gain a better appreciation of political changes and challenges in modern China.; Complaint bureaus are more than safety valves to relieve steam and prevent unrest. While individuals are looking for solutions to “grievances,” representatives of the powerful are looking for “problems and issues” that may make their continued leadership problematic. This interactive dynamic ironically strengthens control by higher officials over subordinates, and, when it is done well, promotes regime legitimacy.; I propose two arguments. First, meaningful participation by citizens can take place within the restrictions of a non-democratic regime. Second, I challenge the notion that Chinese citizens are apathetic about political matters. In this study, by highlighting organizations designed to facilitate citizen participation, I demonstrate that people other than political dissidents challenge officials and take part in political affairs. |
