Entrepreneurial authoritarianism: state, market and ngos in contemporary China

Thesis

This dissertation examines the evolving dynamics of state-society relations in contemporary China—advancing a model of ‘entrepreneurial authoritarianism.’ It demonstrates how the state consolidates control over social organisations by regulating financial flows into the sector through market mechanisms. The model challenges binary frameworks such as ‘civil society’ and ‘corporatism,’ and calls for ‘bringing the market back in’ to the study of state-society relations in China.

Over the past decade, the Chinese state has curtailed foreign funding and the operations of foreign NGOs, while compelling domestic NGOs to compete for grants from state-influenced philanthropic foundations, often established by private entrepreneurs but pressured to align their funding preference with state priorities. In addition, the state assumes entrepreneurial roles through government procurement of social services, public-private partnerships and non-profit incubators, thereby promoting NGOs conforming to its agenda. In response, NGOs adopt strategies of social and policy entrepreneurship to navigate this constrained environment.

Market-oriented tools (the invisible hand) increasingly complement existing administrative toolkits (the visible hand), rendering state oversight less coercive and visible, and more analogous to politically neutral market transactions. Yet this model still operates within existing framework of ‘fragmented authoritarianism’, characterised by political fragmentation and legislative ambiguity. Under such model, local authorities could exercise ‘selective control’ based on three factors—an NGO’s issue area, rhetoric and the social capital of its leadership, treating service-oriented NGOs more favourably while subjecting advocacy groups to heightened scrutiny.

The state-led marketisation of the non-profit sector has created a field that favours state-sanctioned service provision and marginalises rights-based advocacy. Contrary to expectations of an emerging civil society, Chinese NGOs are becoming even more reliant on both state and market forces, with their capacity to challenge state power and corporate interests severely curtailed.

Authors: Xu, X

• DOI: 10.5287/ora-xqgq8xn8y
• Type of award: DPhil
• Level of award: Doctoral
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English
• Keywords: state-society relations; China; civil society; NGO
• Subjects: Comparative government; Political science; China studies