‘Fragmented authoritarianism’ – the facilitator behind the Chinese reform miracle: a case study in central China

Abstract

Although it maintains an authoritarian power structure, China has been widely perceived as one of most decentralized nations in the world in terms of government spending. The concept of ‘fragmented authoritarianism’ has figured largely in academic discussions of China's regime. It raises the question of how such apparently opposed states – ‘fragmentation’ and ‘authoritarianism’ – co-exist. In particular, how can so many important economic and political reforms have been launched in a milieu of fragmented authoritarianism? An analysis of an intergovernmental jurisdiction reform launched by city leaders suggests that fragmented authoritarianism facilitated the reform miracle. Fragmentation supplies the room and space for reform and change, while authoritarianism provides the power and authority for leaders to launch such reforms. That is why China has been able to remain united through a process of dramatic change.

中国虽然是世界上最分权的国家之一，但是在权力架构上仍然是威权体制。“分散化的威权体制” 被学界用来描述这一看似矛盾的现象。问题在于，“权力分散” 与 “威权体制” 是如何共存的呢？尤其是，中国如此多的经济和政治改革是如何在分散化的威权体制下发生的呢？文章通过对中部某地级市与下辖城区之间的事权划分改革的分析发现分散化的威权体制是中国改革背后的重要促进力。权力分散为改革提供了空间，而威权体制为领导人发动改革提供了权力基础。看似矛盾的体制恰恰既能够维持国家统一又推动巨变。

Keywords:

• fragmented authoritarianism
• intergovernmental relations
• jurisdiction reform

Notes

 1. In China, cities have different rankings: provincial, sub-provincial, prefectural, sub-prefectural, and county level. City G in this study is a prefecture-level city. Since the 1980s, many prefectures in China have been converted to prefecture-level cities, and counties originally led by prefectures were also managed by newly established prefecture-level cities under the authorization of the province government. From the theoretical perspective, counties and county-level cities are temporarily managed by prefecture-level cities but not the integral parts of prefecture-level cities.

 2. The street/sub-district (jiedao) is the grassroots level of government in urban districts, equivalent to the township in rural areas.

 3. District governments were not covered by this reform. Without any district government under its control, city government would be completely hollowed out. Thus, districts are integral parts of cities.

 4. Author's interview with the city officials who participated in the reform design in May 2008.

 5. Author's interview with the city officials in May 2008.

 6. Author's interview with the city officials in May 2008.

 7. Author's interview with the city officials in June 2008.

 8. Author's interview with the city officials in May 2008.

 9. Author's interview with the district officials in May 2008.

10. Author's interview with the district officials in June 2008.