Communist Neo-Traditionalism: Work and Authority in Chinese Industry

325 Pages·1988·5.751 MB·English

by  Andrew G. Walder

This volume is sponsored by
the Center for Chinese Studies
University of California, Berkeley
Communist
Neo-Traditionalism
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Communist
Neo-Traditionalism
Work and Authority in Chinese Industry
Andrew G. Walder
University of California Press
Berkeley / Los Angeles / London
This book is a print-on-demand volume. It is manufac-
tured using toner in place of ink. Type and images may
be less sharp than the same material seen in traditionall
printed University of California Press editions.
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American
National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed
Library Materials, ANSI 739.48-1984. ©
To my parents
Margaret and George Walder
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Contents
List of Maps X
List of Tables xi
Preface xiii
Acknowledgments xix
I. Communist Neo-Traditionalism:
An Introductory Essay 1
The Neo-Traditional Image of
Communist Society 2
Communist Neo-Traditionalism as a
Type-Concept 8
Social and Economic Dependence on
the Enterprise 14
Political Dependence on Management 17
Personal Dependence on Superiors 20
The Institutional Culture of Authority 22
Precis of the Analysis
27
The Factory as an Institution:
2.
Life Chances in a Status Society 28
The Transition to a Communist Pattern 30
Demographic Problems and the
Administrative Response 35
Status Groups in the Labor Force 39
The Supply and Allocation of State
Sector Jobs 56
Social and Economic Aspects of the
Employment Relationship 59
viii Contents
Labor Mobility and Dependence on
the Enterprise 68
Mobility and Life Chances in the Enterprise 76
The Structured Dependence of the
Enterprise Community 81
3. The Party-State in the Factory 85
The Party-State and the Working Class 86
The Political Organization of the Factory 88
The "Foreman's Empire" on the Shop Floor 95
The Chinese Work Group System IO2
Stalinist and Maoist Mobilization: A
Comparison 113
Principled Particularism: Moral and Political
4.
Aspects of Authority 123
Social Ties in Ideological Groups 125
From Ideological Orientation to
Principled Particularism 130
Biaoxian and the Flexibility of
Rewards and Punishments 132
Worker Responses to Moral-Political
Authority 143
The Substantive Ambiguity of Biaoxian 160
5. Clientelist Bureaucracy:
The Factory Social Order 162
The Divided Workforce as a Social Fact 166
The Official Patron-Client Network 170
Cliques and Factions 175
Instrumental-Personal Ties 179
A Comparative Perspective 186
6. Maoist Asceticism:
The Failed Revitalization 190
Maoism as a Revitalization Movement 191
Contents ix
Trends in Real Wages and Living Standards 194
The Inequities of Wage Austerity 201
The Emergence of Indulgent Patterns
of Authority 205
The Expanding Scope of Instrumental-
Personal Ties 2IO
The Decline of Work Groups 212
The Unintended Consequences of
Revitalization 219
7. From Asceticism to Paternalism:
Changes in the Wake of Maoism 222
From Asceticism to Paternalism 224
The Restriction of Moral-Political
Mobilization 227
Recasting the Political Standards 229
The Redefinition of Activism 233
The Changing Role of the Party 235
Continuities in the Pattern of Dependence 237
The Evolving Institutional Culture 238
8. Theoretical Reflections 242
The Structure of Communist Societies 243
Social Stability and Legitimacy in
Communist States 246
The Varieties of Modern Industrial Authority 249
The Evolution of Communist Societies 251
Appendix A: The Hong Kong Interviews:
An Essay on Method 255
Appendix B: List of Informants 270
Bibliography 273
Index 295