Beyond entrepreneurism: China's emerging party-statecraft of Rural Revitalization

Abstract

Amongst a global trend of rising state intervention, party-statecraft is used to explain national political mandates in Xi Jinping-era China. In rural areas, the predominant national mandate has been Rural Revitalization, remaining underexplored in urban-centred governance studies. Additionally, party-statecraft thinking has not sufficiently clarified the practical implementation methods, particularly market and financial approaches to rural development. This study integrates perspectives on party building and state entrepreneurialism to conceptualize Rural Revitalization as an emerging form of party-statecraft. By examining a village in Southwest China, the study demonstrates that this rural party-statecraft is executed through enhancing party leadership in communities, establishing party-driven community organizations, extending party influence into the private sector, and scaling up through zoning, regulatory flexibility, and financial expansion. While the approach improves the village's socio-economic status, it encounters challenges including long-term economic unsustainability, reliance on urban land finances, and conflicting goals between the state and grassroots communities.