Classification, Evolution, and Construction: A Parallel Discourse Analysis of Agricultural Outsourcing Policy in China

Abstract

Political decisions are increasingly based on local innovations. This article aims to reveal the role of argumentation in making a new idea stand out from the competition of a flood of policy ideas for national adoption. It traces the case of agricultural outsourcing in China and identifies the consecutive phases of classification, evolution, and construction. The finding is that a parallel argument structure was formed, which extends the traditional argument structure by constantly referring to an existing national policy, in this case land use rights transfer. The implication is that a more intentional use of argumentation is needed to impress policy-makers.

Keywords:

• Agricultural outsourcing
• discourse analysis
• land use rights transfer
• argument structure
• parallel

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. The law enforcement inspection group of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, 2003, Report on inspecting the implementation of the law of the People’s Republic of China on rural land contract. http://www.npc.gov.cn/wxzl/wxzl/2004-02/12/content_327943.htm.

2. National Bureau of Statistics, 2019, Sustainable Development of Rural Economy – A Series of Reports on the Achievements of Economic and Social Development on the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of New China. http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjsj/zxfb/201908/t20190807_1689636.html.

3. Conference of Provincial Supply and Marketing Cooperatives on Promoting the Scale-up of Modern Agricultural Services. http://coop.shandong.gov.cn/articles/ch00003/201306/5324cda0-fbb6-4646-a529-accbf54b1eda.htm.

4. Mu亩, equal to 666.66 square meters.

5. The general office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council, 2019, the Opinions on Promoting the Organic Connection between Small Farmers and Modern Agricultural Development. http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/2019-02/21/content_5367487.htm.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Hongping Lian

Hongping Lian is currently a professor at the School of Government in Beijing Normal University. Her primary areas of scholarship are rural land policy and urban–rural grassroots governance.