Les entreprises rurales et le développement régional en République populaire de Chine. Partie 2 : les dynamiques entrepreneuriales dans les districts de Yong’an et de Zhangpu (province du Fujian)

Abstract

This paper studies the local dynamics in effect of the growth of rural enterprises in China. From the survey on the two districts, it shows that, in a risky institutional context, the decision-making process can be tied to the existence of norms and conventions, stemmed from their milieu. This decision-making process is not strictly maximising, but the resort to conventions permits the exchanges to take place. Thus, local authorities being in control of production factors, the access to these factors is not secured through the market but through the creation of networks between entrepreneurs and these authorities. Furthermore, this access is facilitated by cultural and corruption practices. The elaboration of the networks leads to a confusion in property modes (between private and collective), in the first stage supporting the strong economic development of the milieu but which, paradoxically, increases the future risks and uncertainties. Nevertheless, the networks form the basis or the territorial dynamic of the development. On the other side, small individual enterprises, which form the bulk of rural enterprises, do not have enough economic and social resources to integrate these networks. They exist by relying on their immediate environment, and, in particular, by dispatching the risks and uncertainties to the other family members. Despite their huge number, their contribution to development is rather limited.