Event

This talk examines several remarkable, far-reaching efforts undertaken by the Chinese Communist Party to reshape Chinese society: state-led development projects that have displaced millions; the One Child Policy, which has profoundly altered family life; and large-scale efforts to limit political protest. How do authoritarian regimes realize these far-reaching plans to control and modernize society? I argue that in order to implement these policies, the Chinese state relies on grassroots social organizations that help the state artfully apply pressure on citizens. These informal institutions of repression help the state encourage obedience and nip resistance in the bud.