Business of Lobbying in China

Scott Kennedy is Deputy Director of the Freeman Chair in China Studies and Director of the Project on Chinese Business and Political Economy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

• Acknowledgments List of Tables and Figures Abbreviations 1. Introduction: The Puzzle of Lobbying in China The Puzzle and the Project Alternative Patterns of Government-Business Relations Previous Research: Fulfilling Expectations (Not) Explaining Variation The Consequences The Significance of Economic Factors China as a Critical Case The Research Design Outline of the Book 2. Organizing Business in China Introduction The New Basis for Government-Business Interaction Mapping China's Association System The Limited Autonomy of Business Associations The Missing Structural Components of Corporatism Pluralism: A Mixed Picture Beyond Clientelism Conclusion: Explaining Variation 3. The Steel Industry: Walking on One Leg Introduction The Economics of Steel The Weakness of China's Steel Associations The Dominance of Direct Interaction The Gap Between Connections and Clientelism Cartel Calamities Steel Trade Warriors The Exception: Environmental Protection Policy Conclusion 4. Consumer Electronics: Sending Mixed Signals Introduction The Economics of TVs and VCD Players The Uneven Growth of Consumer Electronics Associations Direct Contact: Taking Offense The Price of Competition Fighting Off the Tax Man The Standard of Influence Conclusion 5. Software: Approaching Pluralism Introduction The Economics of Software The Growth of Software Associations Other Signs of Pluralism The "Normalization" of Relationships The VAT: Revaluing the Industry Copyright Protection: Joining the Fight Standards: Erecting and Dismantling Barriers to Entry Conclusion 6. Conclusion: China's Political Economies Introduction Linking Economics, Interaction, and Influence Chinese Politics: Adapting Models and Integrating Sub-Fields Incremental Democratization? Reform Alternatives: Beyond Liberalization Appendix: Case Selection and Interviews Notes Index

Scott Kennedy has dissected a complex subject in a lucid work with broad implications. His research, well-illustrated with fascinating examples of behind-the-scenes business lobbying, shows that the old corporatist model for explaining business-government relations is increasingly inadequate as interest groups and organizations compete for the government's ear. He shows us a richly complex country with increasing demands percolating up from below--a country that no longer fits the authoritarian model of popular imagination. Strongly recommended for anyone doing business in China orinterested in questions of civil society and, ultimately, political reform.