Technologies of authoritarian statecraft in welfare provision: contracting services to social organizations

Howell, Jude, Enjuto Martinez, Regina ORCID: 0000-0002-5472-0287 and Qu, Yuanyuan (2021) Technologies of authoritarian statecraft in welfare provision: contracting services to social organizations. Development and Change, 52 (6). 1418 - 1444. ISSN 0012-155X

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Abstract

In 2013 the authoritarian Chinese Communist Party adopted a nationwide policy to contract out welfare services to social organizations. This presented the Party/state with a conundrum: how best to foster service-oriented social organizations whilst retaining control over politically sensitive groups. Using a Foucauldian framework of analysis, this article explores the rationalities and technologies of statecraft deployed to navigate this tension. It argues that contracting welfare services is a form of governmentality linked to economic efficiency, welfare provision and social stability, requiring subtle ways of governing society. In implementing this policy, the Party/state seeks to foster a service-oriented civil society and stymie rights-based and politically sensitive groups.

Item Type:	Article
Official URL:	https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14677660
Additional Information:	© 2021 The Authors
Divisions:	International Development Centre for Analysis of Risk & Regulation
Subjects:	J Political Science > JQ Political institutions Asia, Africa, Australia, Pacific J Political Science > JC Political theory H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare. Criminology
Date Deposited:	19 Jul 2021 11:15
Last Modified:	21 Oct 2025 19:18
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/111055

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