CHINA WORLDS LARGEST CIVIL SOCIETY Lauri Paltemaa Centre

CHINA – WORLD’S LARGEST CIVIL SOCIETY? Lauri Paltemaa, Centre for East Asian Studies, University of Turku 2008 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 1

INTRODUCTION • Civil society (Larry Diamond 1994): “The realm of organized life that is voluntary, self-supporting, and autonomous from the state and bound by a legal order or set of shared rules. ” – Seen essential to functioning democracy and democratization authoritarian states – The source of social movements that can lead to democracy 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 2

INTRODUCTION • The presumed connection between civil society and democracy also behind much of Western interest in Chinese civil society – Research on Chinese civil society began a major topic in China Studies after the Beijing Spring of 1989 • Findings: – At the moment China does not have a civil society as defined in Western research tradition – Historically, before 1949 Chinese society had a nascent civil society – to a varying degree 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 3

INTRODUCTION • However, during the past 30 years of economic reforms there has evolved a lively realm of civic activities, organisations and activism also in China • Here we discuss the nature of this realm and its relation to the party-state 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 4

INTRODUCTION • Here, the division between political and apolitical realms of civil society used – Also called ”critical” and ”non critical” realms (Yang Tongqi) – Critical has more political content – Non-critical about leisure, profit, charity, etc. apolitical activities • Can act in complementary role to the state 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 5

INTRODUCTION – Occasionally, apolitical can also turn into political • In principle, market reforms can be seen enforcing both realms – Also the case in China – However, in China the political realm is suppressed, and apolitical one is co-opted and thus controlled (“managed civil society”) 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 6

APOLITICAL REALM • Apolitical realm refers to a wide number of officially sanctioned and un-sanctioned Non. Governmental Organisation (NGO) in China • Officially classified in various types: – Social Organizations (SOs) (社会团体, shehui tuanti) – Foundations (基金会, jijinhui) – Civil Non-enterprise Institutions (CNIs) (民办非企业, minban fei qiye) – Public Institutions (事业单位, shiye danwei) – Charitable Organizations (慈善团体, cishan tuanti) – Religious organizations (宗教团体, zongjiao tuanxi) – Political parties (政治党派, zhengzhi dangpai) 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 7

APOLITICAL REALM • NGO (Salamon and Anheier): Organisations that “are not only formal, private, and nonprofit-distributing, they are also selfgoverning and voluntary. ” • Chinese definition of NGO – Official definition: NGOs refer to all “organizations and institutions that are outside of the state system and operate as nonprofits. ” (but excluding religious groups, human rights organizations, and policy advocacy associations). 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 8

APOLITICAL REALM • The Maoist (Stalinist) legacy still visible in Chinese policy and practice on civic organisations – The party-state maintains a wide variety of ”mass organisations”, satellite political parties and party auxiliary organisations (Young Pioneers, etc. ) – These have organisation, mobilisation, and opinion management purposes 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 9

CHINESE NGOs • Apart from these there are increasing number of organisations and groups of people formed outside the party-state – Registered and unregistered organisations • Estimate: 1: 1 (100 0000 : 100 0000) • However, most registered organisations are run by public organisations (schools, hospitals, etc) or companies – Only about 120 000 registered NGO’s in 2001 were organised by citizen groups 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 10

CHINESE NGOs • The registered civic organisations termed as Social Organisations (SO, 社会团体, shehui tuanti) – Include business associations, environmental groups, voluntary groups, women’s rights groups, charity organisations, sport teams, etc. – Regulated through legislation (first drafted in 1998) 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 11

CHINESE NGOs • Regulating NGOs – All NGO’s must be registered to have status of a legal person – Registration takes place on civil affairs departments at and above county level or Government departments or authorized departments – All NGOs need an officially approved organisation to act as their guarantor 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 12

CHINESE NGOs • Conditions for registering SOs – More than 50 individual members or more than 30 institutional members, or a total of at least fifty – A standard name, organisation, and location – Staff with qualifications appropriate to the professional activities of the organisation – Lawful assets and a minimum level of funds (100, 000 yuan for national level SOs, a minimum of 30, 000 yuan for local level SOs) 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 13

CHINESE NGOs Management of NGOs – “Three-selves policy”: Self-operation, selfhiring, self-sufficiency – Encouraging the participation in social services – Restricting political participation • Registration requirements comparatively demanding – Many groups simply do not register themselves • 100 0000? 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 14

NGO-STATE RELATIONSHIP • Interdependent relations – For NGOs • Political protection & social approval • Mobilizing resources • Fulfilling their missions – For the state • Helper for providing social services • Enhancing political legitimacy • Defending against international political pressures 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 15

NGO-STATE RELATIONSHIP • Peaceful coexistence or conflict? – Government attitudes towards the NGOs: inconsistent and contradictive • For example, central and local governments may have different views on same NGO – Peacefully coexisting in the fields of social services – But NGOs should not touch political taboos • E. g. environmental NGO’s 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 16

NGO-STATE RELATIONSHIP • NGOs’ strategies in dealing with the state – Limiting the scope and size of organizations – Evading political sensitive issues, and focusing on solving economic and social problems – Making use of opportunities inside the system • The state can’t tightly control the society any longer; conflicts between different agencies – Appealing for international help 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 17

NGO-STATE RELATIONSHIP • A civil society in making? – To a great extent, NGOs enjoy autonomy in selfoperation, self-hiring, and self-sufficiency – But NGOs have to conform to party’s ideology, and have to gain government approval as the precondition of registration – NGOs must pay for challenging government policies 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 18

POLITICAL REALM • Political realm of civil society denotes organised political activities • During the reform period political activism has been on rise – The Democracy Movement, ethnic unrest, religious discontent, grass-roots protests, labour activism, etc. 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 19

POLITICAL REALM • Especially after the mid 1990 s there has been a dramatic increase in protests (“mass incidents”, see figure 1. ) – A “Mass Incident” = ”An incident where a group of people illegally gather to disrupt public order and destroy public property. ” 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 20

Figure 1) The Number of ”Major Mass Incidents” in China 1993 -2005 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 21

POLITICAL REALM • Most of Chinese protest action is issuebased, local, and short-lived • In China the typical mode of collective protest during the reform period can be labelled as ”rightful protest” (O’Brien) – Protest as defence of protestors’ legal rights, righteous values, or against criminal activities of individual officials 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 22

POLITICAL REALM • Typically framed in non-antagonist terms vis-à-vis the Party – Usually peaceful, but lately also violent riots increased – Increase of protests also attributed to the increase of ”rights consciousness” of the masses • Two major types: peasant protest against land confiscations and other infringements of economic interests, and worker protest against lay-offs or other work related grievances – In 2000 participants in protests half rural - half urban 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 23

POLITICAL REALM Picture 1) Violent protest in Dongzhou 2005 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 24

POLITICAL REALM • Example of environmental demonstrations in Xiamen 2007 http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=x. Sj. NK 1 Q 4 ii. A 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 25

POLITICAL REALM • Usual tactics in protest is to create big “renao”, hubbub, as a way to attract attention from local authorities (or their superiors) and obtaining settlement for grievances • Central agricultural provinces and the Northern ”rustbelt” most instable, but protest occur everywhere 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 26

PROTEST EXAMPLE • Example: 2004 mass protest in Sichuan province, Ya’an City, Hanyuan County – Farmers protesting dam construction – Losing land – Promised 100 000 RMB per head, received 10000 – First tried to use the petition system up to Beijing 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 27

Picture 2) Dadu River dam construction site 2006 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 28

PROTEST EXAMPLE – When this did not help, villagers resorted to direct action – 100 000 participants, 10000 police needed to quell the riot that ensued – Central government reacted by condemning the protest and at the same time sending an investigation team to the place • Ordered police not to arrest participants, just its leaders • Justified through ”stability and security” 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 29

POLITICAL REALM • Labour activism: – In 2005 China had reportedly 300 000 strikes or labour incidents – Labour incidents including strikes have increased 13. 5 times between 1993 and 2006 – Many of the incidents have been related to layoffs and reorganisation of the SOEs – Other reasons unpaid salaries, labour conditions, cut-backs in benefits, embezzlements, etc. 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 30

Figure 2) Number of Strikes and Workers Involved in Them 1992 -2002 (Source: China Statistical Yearbook 2003) 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 31

POLITICAL REALM • It has been estimated that about 80 % of labour activism targets the state • Reforms have set the workers and local government against each other because the latter is behind many decisions that harm the workers – The government is also the arbitrator in disputes, and thus becomes easily the target when legal remedy is sought, but fails 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 32

POLITICAL REALM • Labour activism is very sensitive to the party-state • ”Polish Scenario” as the horror case • Independent labour unions not allowed • Official labour unions part of the partystate: enforce labour laws and policies, handle social welfare 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 33

POLITICAL REALM • Typical strategy to handle collective protest is to arrest the leaders and let the rank and file go • Preventing protest from becoming coordinated over areas / issues – Suppression of all oppositional organizations a top priority – Police repression: • A NGO estimate for December 2007: 14 181 political and religious prisoners held in Chinese prisons 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 34

POLITICAL REALM • Potential for more protest: – Police reports reveal that on the grass-roots level Chinese counties (c. 2800) can host tens of religious and political small groupings (”parties”) of discontent people at the same time -> potential for social movements and opposition exists – Also exiled Democracy Movement active – The Internet has created room for virtual protest and organisation (although controlled by the party-state) 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 35

CONCLUSION • So what to make of all this? • China has a “managed civil society” – May not be conferring to the common script of freedom of choice on market leading to demands for freedom of choice in politics as well 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 36

CONCLUSION • The Party uses ”strategic action” in its relation to the civil society – Co-opting, cooperation, creating common interests for some parts of the civil society (middle classes, entrepreneurs, etc) – Rising the costs of collective oppositional action: suppression, censorship for others 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 37

CONCLUSION • Co-optation: accepting middle class members into party-state institutions • Corporatism: establishing mutually beneficial ties to business organisations, environmental groups, charity organisations, etc. • Suppression: police oppression targeted at oppositional groups (at least their leaders), preventing national organisations from emerging 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 38

CONCLUSION • Managing civil society = Dwarfing the political realm and directing the apolitical to its own purposes • Thus far successful in deflecting major challenges to the one-party rule, but will this work in the long run? 2021/6/17 The World of Civil Societies, JY, Lauri Paltemaa 39