Remaking the Chinese Administrative State Since 1978: The Double-Movements Perspective

Abstract

This paper examines the fundamental logic that shaped the Chinese administrative reforms during the past three decades from the perspective of the double movements: marketization and self-protection of society. It is contended while the rebuilding of the Chinese administrative state, up until the end of the 1990s, was mainly driven by the single movement of marketization, with its focus on reforming the government to accommodating to the development of a modern market economy, it now has to respond to the countermovement of selfprotection of society which demands the government to meet social needs and preserve social values. However, as the two movements hold different goals and move in opposite directions, administrative reforms from now on must be carried out in the tension of the double movements, which is a demanding challenge.