Primary causes of total hamlet abandonment for different types of hamlets in remote mountain areas of China: A case study of Shouning County, Fujian Province

摘要

Total hamlet abandonment in remote mountains throughout the last several decades as a result of severe rural depopulation constitutes many serious socioeconomic problems now occurring in China and many other developing countries. To get a more profound insight into the primary causes of hamlet abandonment, this study builds on a conceptual framework through conducing an in-depth qualitative analysis based on a case-study of Shouning County, Southeast China. The primary causes of total hamlet abandonment have been illustrated by classifying these abandoned hamlets into three types: disaster-affected hamlets, township hamlets, and remote hamlets. Results have shown that the primary causes of abandonment were tremendously different for each type of the hamlets in question. Natural disasters and subsequently immediate government-sponsored resettlement were the primary causes of disaster-driven hamlet abandonment. Sudden onset events and ex situ resettlement have produced quick hamlet abandonment. Our results also show that in situ urbanization and government-sponsored resettlement were the dominating causes of hamlet abandonment for adjacent hamlets of townships. For remote hamlets (which were the dominating type of abandoned hamlets), severe lack of public services (especially education) was the first and foremost cause of hamlet abandonment, while in situ urbanization and the government-sponsored Poverty Alleviation Resettlement Project (PARP) were secondary causes. Adverse natural conditions, however, were relatively minor factors in remote hamlet abandonment. Lastly, external factors were significant 'pull' forces in comparison, leading to hamlet abandonment for all types of abandoned hamlets within the study. The heterogeneity of hamlet abandonment and multi-scale causes have been highlighted in our case study. These findings therein have important policy implications for rural sustainability in developing countries, particularly China.