Collective Actions and Governance in China

Overview of Collective Actions in China

• Examines government-sanctioned and non-sanctioned collective actions.
• Focus on historical examples and contemporary movements (2005-2023).

Historical Background of Collective Actions

• Collective action is depicted through events leading up to protests, grievances, and petitions.
• The practice of collective action has deep roots in Chinese society, dating back to the early 2000s, particularly around 2005 to 2015.

Case Studies of Collective Actions

• Shanghwa (上访): Refers to the tradition of petitioning government for grievances.
  • Illustrated with photos showing citizens outside government offices, expressing dissatisfaction and holding written grievances.
  • Common issues include property rights, housing demolitions, and accusations against local authorities.
• Modern Context: 2018-2019 saw protests concerning banking issues and local government corruption, particularly in Guangxi province.
  • Citizens adapt their actions, targeting provincial governments rather than central authorities to avoid severe crackdowns.

Themes in Protest Dynamics

• Grievances often arise from land issues or governmental abuses of rights leading families (multiple generations) to protest.
• Protests often showcase mixed uses of language, combining traditional and modern elements.
• Illustrates how protest evolves and adapts over time, especially due to government responses.

XinFang (信访) System

• The XinFang system of letters and visits allows citizens to bring complaints to government authorities.
  • Originated during the Mao era to encourage citizen-government communication, aimed to alleviate grievances in a non-judicial manner.
  • Government offices handle these grievances, but complaints often backfire on local governments due to the high volume of petitions.
  • Citizens learned to navigate the system to get their issues addressed through collective rather than individual visits.

Collective Action and Local Governance

• Experiential learning over decades has led protesters to target local rather than central government levels.
• By not aiming for central authorities, local protests often experience fewer repercussions, including less mass arrest or punishment.

The Role of Labor Protests

• Example of strikes among labor sectors, such as delivery workers, which represent dissatisfaction with corporate practices rather than direct complaints to the government.
• Labor protests are often tolerated by the government as long as they do not become politically charged toward state authorities.

Government Response to Collective Actions

• Government employs a dual approach: recognizing the legitimacy of grievances while simultaneously limiting the scope of collective actions.
• Reception Centers: Established to discourage petitioners from traveling to Beijing, aiming to resolve issues locally without federal interference.
  • Often perceived as detention centers for dissent.
• Recent tightening of regulations, e.g. social organization regulations, requiring NGOs to have governmental sponsorship.

Current Trends and Interpretations

• Emergence of NGOs and social groups intended to serve public interests (health, environment) within state-controlled boundaries.
• Increased presence and activism of feminist and rights-based organizations leading to governmental crackdowns and resistance.
  • More localized movements are emerging, focusing on specific community issues.

1989 Tiananmen Square Incident

• Historical significance of the Tiananmen Square protests as a major political event advocating for democratic reforms, driven by student activism.
• The protesters' transformation from individual grievances to a collective political challenge.
• Analyzation of major figures like Hu Yaobang, whose death exacerbated unrest, and responses to growing discontent in society.
• The event as a critical learning point in China's political history remains a sensitive and restricted topic.

Recent Protest Movements (2022-2023)

• Comparison with modern protests like the Black Paper Movement, showcasing unique expressions and collective actions against governmental control.
• Highlighting shifts from large-scale demonstrations to localized symbolic acts of dissent.

Conclusion

• Collective actions reflect the changing dynamics of governance and society in China.
• Protest strategies evolve in response to governmental policies, influenced by historical events and contemporary issues, emphasizing the complex relationship between citizens and the state.