Atlantic Community:Open Think Tank Article "Growth, the Rural Gap and Legitimacy in China"

Term Paper: Growth, the Rural Gap and Legitimacy in China

Franziska Petersen: This paper analyzes how the rural gap and the environmental question may stifle the legitimacy of the Chinese regime and thus the continuation of the process of accumulation and growth in China.

With increasing growth and market liberalization income gaps and environmental problems are on the rise in China. Hence, the question arises how these issues may affect China’s future economic growth. To analyze this question, this paper is going to focus on the concept of utilitarian political legitimacy in connection to economic growth. In this context it will be shown that with the growing negative effects of economic growth, legitimacy remains fragile in China.

Franziska Petersen has an MA from the University of Sydney and is a Trainee at Bohnen Kallmorgen & Partner.

Download PDF: Petersen.pdf