New villages, old problems? Exploring policy implementation in a rapidly changing Chinese countryside

Abstract: Change is everywhere in rural China. Even the most casual observer would notice the impressive degree and scope of changes that have taken place since the beginning of the economic reforms in December 1978. When the collective economy disintegrated, it gave way to rural industrialisation and the return of smallholder farming. The introduction of markets in the countryside brought with it not only new economic liberties but also risks that had been absent during the socialist period. In response to new incentives and pressures, hundreds of millions of peasants have left agriculture and the countryside. For those who continued to stay in the villages, the volatility of rural life has become a daily experience. The transforming nature of agriculture, the rising costs of healthcare and education, and the determination of many local governments to develop the economy by any means necessary have forced villagers to adjust. In an attempt to counter some of the negative effects of these changes, the centre has put forward a steady stream of political initiatives. Today, rural China is witnessing a massive wave of new housing and infrastructure projects. Considerable financial support is also going into fostering commercial enterprises in agriculture and improving public service provision. Beijing wants to raise the rural standard of living to urban levels and has made this a central theme of its “New-Type Urbanisation Plan 2014–2020,” which it adopted in 2014

Object Details

• Location: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Extent: Online-Ressource
• Language: Englisch
• Notes: Journal of current Chinese affairs. - 45, 1 (2016) , 5-10, ISSN: 1868-4874

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (where): Freiburg
• (who): Universität
• (when): 2024
• Creator: Trappel, René
• Contributor: Professur für Sinologie

Further information

• DOI: 10.1177/186810261604500102
• URN: urn:nbn:de:bsz:25-freidok-1527952
• Rights: Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
• Last update: 15.08.2025, 7:31 AM CEST