Patronage and Power: Local State Networks and Party-State Resilience in Rural China

by Ben Hillman

Power and Patronage examines the unwritten rules and inner workings of contemporary China's local politics and government. It exposes how these rules have helped to keep the one-Party state together during decades of tumultuous political, social, and economic change. While many observers of Chinese politics have recognized the importance of informal institutions, this book explains how informal local groups actually operate, paying special attention to the role of patronage networks in political decision-making, political competition, and official corruption. While patronage networks are often seen as a parasite on the formal institutions of state, Hillman shows that patronage politics actually help China's political system function. In a system characterized by fragmented authority, personal power relations, and bureaucratic indiscipline, patronage networks play a critical role in facilitating policy coordination and bureaucratic bargaining. They also help to regulate political competition within the state, which reduces the potential for open conflict. Understanding patronage networks is essential for understanding the resilience of the Chinese state through decades of change. Power and Patronage is filled with rich and fascinating accounts of the machinations of patronage networks and their role in the ruthless and sometimes violent competition for political power.

216 pages, Hardcover

First published May 7, 2014

Reviews

[James Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fine book really exposes the inner workings of China's party-state, revealing the largely hidden processes which are the foundation of the emerging global superpower. Ben Hillman provides an in-depth investigation into the role of patronage networks in Chinese politics, and his critical examination reveals a huge contradiction in how the Communist Party rules China. The paradox is that these patronage networks are necessary in order to make government work, but at the same time these complex relationships use their power and influence to channel public resources into private hands.
Mr Hillman's book, grounded in thorough research and spiced with supporting anecdotes, shows how corruption is firmly entrenched in the way the state works.
An invaluable text for anyone interested in China, politics and modern history, the book is recommended reading for anyone wanting to better understand how China ticks.