Eating in Separate Kitchens Economic Decentralization and Local Authority in China

Sarah Brown

Date of Award

2010

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Social Sciences

First Advisor

Hicks, Barbara

Keywords

China, Economics, Decentralization, Politics, Xiamen, Fuzhou, Fujiah

Area of Concentration

Political Science

Abstract

The hallmarks of China�s economic reform have been decentralization and marketization. Since the Mao era the Chinese government has decentralized fiscal and administrative authority, gradually granting local governments greater authority over an expanding range of economic decisions. Theories of decentralization and market liberalization suggest that these processes can lead to more economic efficiency and innovation at the local levels, sparking growth and development of a country as a whole. Examining how Chinese cities have gained and expanded economic authority within the unitary structure of the Chinese government offers an opportunity to understand how the Chinese economy has achieved such a tremendous turnaround since the late 1970s, as well as how decentralization and market liberalization affect local authority and policy innovation. As designated cities have successfully experimented with economic policy, economic authority has been further decentralized to lower levels across the country. The study of Chinese city types and their economic authority informs our understanding of decentralization and market liberalization under a unitary government.

Rights

This bibliographic record is available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. The New College of Florida, as creator of this bibliographic record, has waived all rights to it worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law.

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