Political Economy of China

IF 1.2 4区 社会学 Q3 POLITICAL SCIENCE Political Science Pub Date : 2020-10-28 DOI:10.1093/obo/9780199756223-0325
E. Tsang
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引用次数: 2

Abstract

This article explores why the younger generation of China’s emergent middle class embraces conspicuous consumption but is not interested in politics. Collectively, this behavior is motivated by the quest for social recognition and status, but there are also signs the behavior is sanctioned—if not subtly guided—by the ruling Communist party’s logic of governing. Using the Foucauldian concept of “governmentality,” this article posits that the authoritarian Chinese regime tacitly utilizes noncoercive means to direct the middle class away from activism toward conspicuous consumption. Specifically, through tactics like real name registration (RNR) and value-laden mass media ads and programs, an environment is created that encourages conspicuous consumption as a form of calculated “pastoral” control. This allows government to guide without confrontation. Consequently, the emergent middle class is confronted with the pressure to navigate their own consumption patterns to align with the government’s quasi-veiled preferences that the citizenry should engage with materialist consumption rather than politics. China uses governmentality to orient the new middle-class citizen to consume and to steer away from political engagement that poses a possible threat to the communist regime. Despite insightful arguments about both consumption and governmentality and a growing scholarly interest in the rise of the middle class in China few studies examine the relationship between the conspicuous consumption habits of the Chinese middle class and the governmentality of the ruling party, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Mass media and consumer culture reinforce each other to create a stable climate based upon market rationality and consumerism. The CCP has two roles in indoctrinating the new middle class through noncoercive ways. The mobilization of mass media in terms of real name registration and traditional media outlets such as newspapers reflect a way of life that allows middle class citizens to maintain their good life and status to pursue their dreams under Xi’s regime. This status persists through consumption for the self and others (as a practice of gift giving) alongside apolitical involvement. The CCP focuses on entrepreneurs’ success stories as the epitome of good citizenship. Participation in political activities is discouraged by removing it from even being mentioned, discussed, or even shown in any of these accounts. This indirectly positions apolitical involvement as a lifestyle that allows citizens to be cosmopolitan individuals and quality (suzhi素質) citizens in post-Reform China.
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中国的政治经济分析
本文探讨了为什么中国新兴中产阶级的年轻一代喜欢炫耀性消费,但对政治不感兴趣。总的来说,这种行为是出于对社会认可和地位的追求,但也有迹象表明,这种行为受到了执政的共产党执政逻辑的认可——如果不是巧妙地引导的话。本文运用傅的“政府心态”概念,认为威权主义的中国政权暗中利用非商业手段引导中产阶级从激进主义转向炫耀性消费。具体而言,通过实名制注册(RNR)和充满价值的大众媒体广告和节目等策略,创造了一个鼓励炫耀性消费的环境,作为一种精心策划的“田园”控制形式。这使政府能够在没有对抗的情况下进行指导。因此,新兴的中产阶级面临着驾驭自己的消费模式的压力,以符合政府的准隐性偏好,即公民应该参与唯物主义消费,而不是政治。中国利用政府心态引导新的中产阶级公民消费,并远离可能对共产主义政权构成威胁的政治参与。尽管关于消费和政府心态的争论很有见地,学术界对中国中产阶级的崛起也越来越感兴趣,但很少有研究考察中国中产阶级明显的消费习惯与执政党中国共产党的政府心态之间的关系。大众传媒与消费文化相辅相成,创造了基于市场理性和消费主义的稳定氛围。中国共产党在通过非竞争性方式向新中产阶级灌输思想方面有两个作用。大众媒体在实名登记和报纸等传统媒体方面的动员反映了一种生活方式,即在Xi政权下,中产阶级能够保持良好的生活和地位来追求自己的梦想。这种地位通过为自己和他人消费(作为一种送礼的做法)以及非政治参与而持续存在。中国共产党把企业家的成功故事作为良好公民的缩影。参与政治活动是不鼓励的,因为它甚至没有被提及、讨论,甚至没有出现在任何这些报道中。这间接地将非政治参与定位为一种生活方式,使公民成为国际化的个人和品质(苏芝素質) 改革后中国的公民。
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来源期刊
Political Science
Political Science POLITICAL SCIENCE-
CiteScore
0.90
自引率
0.00%
发文量
13
期刊介绍: Political Science publishes high quality original scholarly works in the broad field of political science. Submission of articles with a regional focus on New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific is particularly encouraged, but content is not limited to this focus. Contributions are invited from across the political science discipline, including from the fields of international relations, comparative politics, political theory and public administration. Proposals for collections of articles on a common theme or debate to be published as special issues are welcome, as well as individual submissions.
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