Paradoxes of Labour Reform: Chinese Labour Theory and Practice from Socialism to Market

ISBN-13: 9780700711512 / Angielski / Twarda / 2002 / 256 str.

Luigi Tomba

Opis

Labour reform is only one component of the larger process of reforming economy and society experienced by China during the late 1970s, 80s and 90s, and it is probably that part of this process where paradoxes emerge most clearly. This book suggests a two-level analysis: labour theory and consequent policy- and law-making emerging from a rapidly changing ideological environment from the beginning of Deng's Reform clash with the social and practical contradictions of policy implementation that emerges in the second part of the book, together with an increasing resistance by society vis a vis the state's overall policies as well as with an increasing - functional and tolerated - informalization of labour practices. The book borrows historical analytical tools in order to shed light on how policy-making takes place in contemporary China: an experimental and self-fulfilling process where decisions are taken only long after being introduced into daily practice. It should be of interest to students of contemporary Chinese society and help in the understanding of 25 years of Chinese labour reform.

Labour reform is only one component of the larger process of reforming economy and society experienced by China over the last three decades. This book uses historical analytical tools in order to shed light on how policymaking takes place in contemporary China: an experimental and self-fulfilling process where decisions are taken only long after being introduced into daily practice. It will be valuable to students of contemporary Chinese society and key to the understanding of 25 years of Chinese labour reform.

Spis treści

1. Labour Theory and Practice and the Making of a Market: An Introduction  2. Distribution According to What? From Politics to Labour  3. What is Labour? Applying Market Mechanisms to Labour Relations  4. Beyond the Limits of Socialist Labour: The Contemporary Debate on Labour and the Labour Market  5. Back to the Future: The Re- establishment and Initial Labour Reform Steps  6. Contracting Labour Relations  7. The Changing Labour Economy: Less Formality, More Market  Conclusion

O autorze

Tomba, Luigi