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John P Burns
The Changing Nature of the State: the Case of China
The ensuing contribution examines the reform of the Chinese state since the 1990s, focusing on changes at both the central level of government and the wider public sector. These reform processes resemble the relevant experiences in other countries, as China has faced the same key problems other states are confronted with, such as an ageing population and increased economic competition. In some sense, the Chinese government tried to cope with the mentioned challenges in typical ways. It has sought to plug obvious “loopholes” in the tax system and restructure public enterprises to make them more competitive. Furthermore, attempts by the authorities to improve public services have used methods tried elsewhere. China's state reforms have had a significant impact measured in terms of economic growth and the shrinking of public employment. On the other hand, they have been accompanied by widespread corruption, indicating significant implementation gaps.
Zeitschrift für Staats- und Europawissenschaften, Walter de Gruyter
Print ISSN: 1610-7780
Volume: 4, 08/2006
Pages: 242 - 268