Interpreting Chinese Hukou System from a Foucauldian Perspective

Abstract

The Chinese hukou system has been a hot topic in China study for decades. It not only restricts access to state-sponsored benefits (such as food and housing provision) in pre-reform China, but continues to influence the local-led urbanization in post-reform era. However, few studies have explained why this highly exploitative system persists in China. This paper tries to contribute some insights to interpretation of this issue based on Foucault’s concept of governmentality. It is argued that Chinese hukou system is actually a power relation consisting of a series of governmental technologies based on differentiation, surveillance and calculation in pursuit of economic growth and political stability. The governmental techniques and rationality within the Chinese institutional system make the hukou system persist in modern China.

中国的户口制度数十年来一直是中国研究中的热点问题。改革开放之前，户口制度限制了居 民对国家福利（如食物和住房）的获取；改革后，户口制度持续影响局部地区的城市化进程。但是很少有人探究这项高度剥夺性的制度在中国经久不衰的原因。本文试图以福柯治理术的 理念为依据，对这一问题进行探讨。文章指出，中国的户口制度实际上是一种权力关系，包 含着分化、监控和计算等一系列治理技巧，以达到经济增长和政治稳定的目的。户口制度在 现代中国经久不衰，是中国体制内部的治理技巧和理念所致。

Keywords:

• Governmentality
• differentiation
• surveillance
• calculation
• hukou system

Acknowledgements

The author is grateful to Dr Chaoqun Liu, Prof Stuart Elden and Prof Donggen Wang for their comments on the early versions. The usual disclaimer applies.

Funding

This work was supported by the Hong Kong Research Grant Council [grant number HKBU244610]; the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 41371181], [grant number 41271165], [grant number 41130747]; Chinese Research Programme Fund of Humanities and Social Sciences [grant number 12YJAGJW007].

Notes

1. They use blue rather than red stamps or green rather than purple cover.

2. Visibility can be defined as “ways of seeing and representing reality; the practical knowledge of specialists and policy-makers; plans, maps and diagrams” (Legg, 2005).

3. The former was supplanted by the latter after the notorious “Sun Zhigang event” in 2003.

4. Cited from: Peng Zhenhuai’s (head of China Local Governments Research Academy in Peiking University) lecture in 2 April 2011 (http://view.news.qq.com/zt2011/ysdjt103/index.htm).