Forging a harmonious middle path: Chinese social organizations and the state.

摘要

Chinese social organizations have emerged in response to vexing social problems unaddressed by the downsized state and expanding market. The presence of NGOs in authoritarian polities usually makes for contentious state-society relations. Yet, such groups boast of conflict-free interaction with the government in China. This dissertation evaluates the strength and viability of Chinese social organizations as they interact with the state. By examining three issue areas---environmental protection, HIV/AIDS prevention, and gay and lesbian rights---I account for variation in how organizations adapt to the overall opportunity structure in order to emerge and thrive. This dissertation is also distinctive in specifying and analyzing three different kinds of opportunities: political, economic, and personal. I confirm that social organizations do not see their relationship with the state as problematic. However, political opportunities vary across issue areas and regions of China in unexpected ways. For example, although the central government has voiced concern about environmental degradation, opportunities for environmental organizations depend most on the changing priorities of local governments. By contrast, economic opportunities are more difficult for organizations to negotiate. Although NGOs have adapted to take advantage of funding resources, the financial windfall in some issue areas comes with serious costs. These organizations lack diversification in the number and kinds of funding sources and are therefore more vulnerable to collapse with the loss of one crucial source. Moreover, government control over some economic opportunities can contract political opportunities. Finally, leaders in all three issue areas pursue informal relations with individuals within the government rather than formal institutional ties that are more sustainable. While organizations have made adaptations necessary for survival, civil society as a whole remains weak and atomized. Although Chinese social organizations have forged a successful short-term harmonious existence with the state, they have not built a foundation for long-term viability.