Creating Market Socialism

Hsu Carolyn L. Hsu

Description

In the midst of China's post-Mao market reforms, the old status hierarchy is collapsing. Who will determine what will take its place? In Creating Market Socialism, the sociologist Carolyn L. Hsu demonstrates the central role of ordinary people-rather than state or market elites-in creating new institutions for determining status in China. Hsu explores the emerging hierarchy, which is based on the concept of suzhi, or quality. In suzhi ideology, human capital and educational credentials are the most important measures of status and class position. Hsu reveals how, through their words and actions, ordinary citizens decide what jobs or roles within society mark individuals with suzhi, designating them "quality people."Hsu's ethnographic research, conducted in the city of Harbin in northwestern China, included participant observation at twenty workplaces and interviews with working adults from a range of professions. By analyzing the shared stories about status and class, jobs and careers, and aspirations and hopes that circulate among Harbiners from all walks of life, Hsu reveals the logic underlying the emerging stratification system. In the post-socialist era, Harbiners must confront a fast-changing and bewildering institutional landscape. Their collective narratives serve to create meaning and order in the midst of this confusion. Harbiners collectively agree that "intellectuals" (scientists, educators, and professionals) are the most respected within the new social order, because they contribute the most to Chinese society, whether that contribution is understood in terms of traditional morality, socialist service, or technological and economic progress. Harbiners understand human capital as an accurate measure of a person's status. Their collective narratives about suzhi shape their career choices, judgments, and child-rearing practices, and therefore the new practices and institutions developing in post-socialist China.

Sujets

• Sociologie, société et politique
• Sociology
• China

Informations

• Publié par: Duke University Press
• Date de parution: 03 septembre 2007
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780822390428
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

How Ordinary People

Are Shaping Class and

Status in China C R E AT I N G M A R K E T S O C I A L I S M

Carolyn L. Hsu

C R E A T I N G M A R K E T S O C I A L I S M

POLITICS, HISTORY, AND CULTURE A series from te International Institute at te University of Micigan

Series Editors:George Steinmetz and Julia Adams Series Editorial Advisory Board:Fernando Coronil, Mamadou Diouf, Micael Dutton, Geoff Eley, Fatma Müge Göcek, Nancy Rose Hunt, Andreas Kalyvas, Webb Keane, David Laitin, Lydia Liu, Julie Skurski, Margaret Somers, Ann Laura Stoler, Katerine Verdery, Elizabet Wingrove

Sponsored by te International Institute at te University of Micigan and publised by Duke

University Press, tis series is centered around cultural and istorical studies of power, politics,

and te statea field tat cuts across te disciplines of istory, sociology, antropology,

political science, and cultural studies. he focus on te relationsip between state and culture

refers bot to a metodological approacte study of politics and te state using culturalist

metodsand to a substantive approac tat treats signifying practices as an essential

dimension of politics. he dialectic of politics, culture, and istory figures prominently in a

ll te books selected for te series.

C R E A T I N G M A R K E T S O C I A L I S M

Carolyn L. Hsu

How Ordinary People

Are Shaping Class and

Status in China

Duke University Press Durham and London 2007

©  Duke University Press

All rigts reserved

Printed in te United States of America on acid-free paper ♾

Designed by Heater Hensley

Typeset in Garamond Pro by Tseng Information Systems, Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data appear on te last

printed page of tis book.

Duke University Press gratefully acknowledges te support of Colgate University

Researc Council, wic provided funds toward te production of tis book.

To my friends in Harbin

C O N T E N T S

 ix

. How Narratives Sape Institutional Cange 1

. Narratives and te Socialist Stratification System 31

. Harbin: From Paris of te East to te Rust Belt 54

. he Pat of Power: Revising te Meaning of Political Capital 81

. Constructing Entrepreneursip: he Moral Meaning of Money 122

. Trust in Knowledge: Human Capital and te Emerging sûZîHierarcy 157

. he Narrative Construction of Class and Status under Market Socialism: he EmergingsûZîHierarcy 181

 . Fieldwork Sites and Interview Sample and Questions 191

 . Glossary of Cinese Terms 197

 201

 205

 217

A C K N O W L E D G M E N T S

cademics spend so muc time working alone tat we some- A times forget tat all of our writings are profoundly collabo- rative projects. My name may be te only one on te front cover, but tis book would not exist witout te contribution of many wonderful people. I am especially grateful to Nancy Ries for reading te entire manuscript several times and giving me insigtful and detailed comments at every round. I would also like to tank te following for reading selections or pre- vious iterations of te book and offering valuable feedback: Ricard Madsen, Akos Rona-tas, Cristena Turner, Josep Eserick, Paul Pickowicz, Wendy Wall, Cristoper Henke, Jessica Allina-Pisano, Eric Allina-Pisano, and Micele Cang. Many tanks to Alan Smart for our conversations aboutgûanxî, and to Alena Ledeneva and Nancy Ries for elping me see te connections between guanxi andlaand kindly answering all of my ignorant questions about Russia. And I owe Andrew Kipnis a debt for inspiring me to realize tatŝûZîa key was concept for making sense of my findings. Of course te errors and flaws wic remain are all my own, but tere would be many more witout te probing questions, accurate criticisms, enligtening suggestions, and kindly encouragement tat tese people provided for me.  I need to tank Debora Davis, my first professor of soci - ology, wo fostered my interest in Cinese society and gave me te confidence and desire to become an academic. Se con-