Political Economy in the Evolution of China's Urban–Rural Economic Relations

Description

This book investigates the trajectory and evolutionary mechanisms of China’s urban–rural economic relationships, seeking to explore how a developing socialist country can attain sustainable development and common prosperity. Grounded in a deep literature review and a practical analysis of real-world conditions in China, the study challenges the dual economy theory of development economics that has prevailed in discussion of Chinese urban–rural economic relationships and puts forward an alternative analytical framework based on political economy. Considering the role political and social factors have played in China’s economic development since 1949, the author divides the evolution of China’s urban–rural economic relationship into two stages. In the first stage the relationship is seen to be a “separated” one, a situation that led to several repercussions; but the reform and opening-up of the late 1970s marked a turning point leading to a second stage featured by “imbalanced integration”. Through empirical research, the book analyses the momentum, economic effects, and problems of this turn, thereby envisaging an upgraded stage marked out by “collaborative integration”, integral to further economic development and a more prosperous society in all respects. The title will appeal to scholars and student studying political economy, urban–rural economic relationships, development economics, and the Chinese economy. Cover Half Title Series Page Title Page Copyright Page Contents Figures Tables Preface 1. Introduction 1.1 Raising of the question 1.1.1 A localized scrutiny into the classic theory of development economics 1.1.2 Building blocks for a political economy of socialism with Chinese characteristics 1.1.3 Policy choice for urban-rural integrated development in the new era 1.2 Definition of important concepts 1.2.1 Towns and villages 1.2.2 Urban-rural economic relationship 1.2.3 Separation and integration 1.3 Research thinking and framework Note 2. Literature review 2.1 Studies on the contents and measurements of China's urban-rural economic relationship 2.2 Studies on the status quo and causes of China's urban-rural economic relationship 2.3 Studies on potential ways and options for improving urban-rural economic relationship 2.4 Review on existing relevant literature 3. Political economy analytical framework for China's urban-rural economic relationship 3.1 The Lewis-Fei-Ranis model and its applicability in China 3.2 Social background of the evolution of China's urban-rural economic relationship 3.3 China's urban-rural economic relationship from the perspective of political economy 4. Measurements and evolutionary stages of China's urban-rural economic relationship 4.1 Methodological basis for measuring China's urban-rural economic relationship 4.2 Changes in China's urban-rural economic relationship since the founding of the PRC 4.2.1 Changes in urban-rural population and employment structure 4.2.2 Comparison of industry labor productivity between urban and rural areas 4.2.3 Comparison of per capita consumption between urban and rural areas 4.3 Reexamination on changes of China's urban-rural economic relationship since reform and opening up Note 5. Formation and performance of China's separated urban-rural economic relationship 5.1 National development strategy and constraints during the early days of the PRC 5.2 Economic system under the heavy industry first strategy 5.2.1 People's communes in the rural sector 5.2.2 Public ownership in the urban sector 5.2.3 Unified purchase and marketing of agricultural products 5.2.4 Urban and rural household registration 5.3 Multiple effects of separated urban-rural economic relationship Notes 6. Imbalanced integration: urban-rural economic relationship at the beginning of reform and opening up 6.1 China's development strategy and constraints at the beginning of reform and opening up 6.2 China's economic system arrangements under the economic growth-oriented strategy 6.2.1 Economic organization in the rural sector: from people's commune to household contract responsibility system 6.6.2 Ownership regime in the urban sector: from sole public ownership to multiple forms of ownership 6.2.4 Circulation of agricultural products: from state monopoly of the purchase and marketing to market-oriented circulation 6.2.4 Rural labor employment under household registration: from unitary to diverse 6.3 Imbalanced integration of government-market relationship and urban-rural economic relationship Note 7. Manifestation and forming mechanism of imbalanced integration of urban-rural economic relationship 7.1 Implication and manifestation of imbalanced integration of urban-rural economic relationship 7.1.1 Implication of imbalance urban-rural economic relationship 7.1.2 Manifestation of imbalanced integration of urban-rural economic relationship 7.2 Forming logic of imbalanced integration of urban-rural economic relationship 7.2.1 Basic change of government-market relationship 7.2.2 Intragovernmental structural feature 7.2.3 Intramarket structural feature 7.3 Imbalanced integration of urban-rural economic relationship and its explanation: an example 8. Main economic effects of imbalanced integration of urban-rural economic relationship 8.1 Contribution of urban-rural labor reallocation to economic growth 8.2 Impact of urban-rural income gap on overall income distribution 8.3 Impact of urban-rural labor market distortion on resident consumption gap Notes 9. Collaborative integration: China's urban-rural economic relationship in the new era 9.1 Proposal and constraints of overall coordinated development strategy 9.2 Connotation and realization conditions of collaborative integration of urban-rural economic relationship 9.3 Policy options for realizing collaborative integration of urban-rural economic relationship 10. Conclusions and prospects Afterword Bibliography Index