Civil Society and Democratization in China

In the 1980s, China experienced what appeared to be a substantial reform of the existing economic and political system. Economic reforms resulted in significant departures from central planning and the emergence of various forms of market regulation of the economy. The June 1989 military crackdown abruptly halted the transition away from authoritarianism in China. The "small government big society" plan envisaged the establishment of a new government structure consisting of only four systems. The first system would be a political guarantee system, which should include courts of law, police, matters concerning staff and personnel. The second system, the social service system, was to consist of civil administration, labor relations, health, education. The third system, called the economic development and organization system, was supposed to deal with matters in agriculture, industry, commerce, energy, communication and science and technology. Finally, the plans operated with an economic coordination and control system, which would manage economic planning and control, taxes and environment issues.