A Study On The Dilemma And Development Strategy Of Legitimacy Of Contemporary Chinese Non - Governmental Organizations

As an important indicator measuring political modernization of a country,non-government organizations(hereafter referred to as NGOs) play a significant role in national development processes. Since reform and opening up, China has entered into a period of social transition. With deepening of economic restructuring, NGOs in modern sense have been enjoying continuous development and are involved in multiple aspects related to national welfare and the people’s livelihood. NGOs have become fundamental forces in reflecting people’s opinions, coordinating social contradictions, standardizingmarket behaviours and making up disadvantages of government functions.However,NGOs emerge under a highly centralized political structure. Faced with this emerging power, vested interest groups are definitely going to take measures to safeguard their own interests. Development space for social organizations which are of great significance in national construction are faced with limitations and restrictions. In the meanwhile, deepening reform calls for continuous enhancement of size and quality of social organizations. Therefore, based on the development of NGOs in China, this paper analyzes legitimacy dilemma and its sources facing the development of NGOs in China, through legitimacy theory and national and social relations theory. Based on the analysis, this paper proposes feasible development strategies from the perspectives of both government and non-government organizations through current development situation of NGOs.