The Shequ experiment: grassroots political reform in urban China

Although China's economic reforms have been responsible for generating unprecedented growth, they have also been responsible for rendering the danwei, the foundation of the Chinese political and social system in urban areas, increasingly irrelevant. This has serious implications since danweis have been both the organizational base of the Communist Party and the vehicle through which social services were provided. Belatedly, the government has responded to this dilemma by experimenting with social organizations at the grassroots level in urban areas. One of the most significant experiments is the development of shequs. In the latter half of the 1990s, shequs were given more autonomy and responsibilities. Some of the more advanced shequs began to experiment with elections and social welfare functions previously provided by the government. The experiment, however, is still in an initial phase and shequs have not yet had a significant impact on the polity. Nonetheless, the Party and government have placed much importance on the shequ experiment. Their success will thus allow us some insight into the process of political development in urban China.