Creating Market Socialism: How Ordinary People are Shaping Class and Status in China

Politics, History, and Culture

by Carolyn L. Hsu

In the midst of China’s post-Mao market reforms, the old status hierarchy is collapsing. Who will determine what will take its place? In Creating Market Socialism , the sociologist Carolyn L. Hsu demonstrates the central role of ordinary people—rather than state or market elites—in creating new institutions for determining status in China. Hsu explores the emerging hierarchy, which is based on the concept of suzhi , or quality. In suzhi ideology, human capital and educational credentials are the most important measures of status and class position. Hsu reveals how, through their words and actions, ordinary citizens decide what jobs or roles within society mark individuals with suzhi, designating them “quality people.” Hsu’s ethnographic research, conducted in the city of Harbin in northwestern China, included participant observation at twenty workplaces and interviews with working adults from a range of professions. By analyzing the shared stories about status and class, jobs and careers, and aspirations and hopes that circulate among Harbiners from all walks of life, Hsu reveals the logic underlying the emerging stratification system. In the post-socialist era, Harbiners must confront a fast-changing and bewildering institutional landscape. Their collective narratives serve to create meaning and order in the midst of this confusion. Harbiners collectively agree that “intellectuals” (scientists, educators, and professionals) are the most respected within the new social order, because they contribute the most to Chinese society, whether that contribution is understood in terms of traditional morality, socialist service, or technological and economic progress. Harbiners understand human capital as an accurate measure of a person’s status. Their collective narratives about suzhi shape their career choices, judgments, and child-rearing practices, and therefore the new practices and institutions developing in post-socialist China.

Genres: China

240 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2007

Reviews

[风花 · Rating 4 out of 5]

作者理论构建的功力实在是尴尬，提供了一个既没有新意，又不疼不痒的的理论，但田野做得还算过去，于是还是值得3.5星的，半星属于是作者在东北做田野的友情分。这本书更恰当的名字应该是“哈尔滨人在90年代到21世纪头几年的时候如何理解改革，并如何构建与讲述身份区隔”。为什么在90年代初个体户不如干部是个正经职位？只有钱但不稳定，而且这时候个体户总与流氓犯罪分子形象联系起来。为什么到了90年代后期，干部也被视作没有素质的典型？因为没有学历没有文化还腐败。商人什么时候获得了正经的社会承认？大概在90年代末21世纪初，而且还得有文凭的商人，光有钱还不行。最后这些问题的答案汇聚成为“素质”作为一种话语在改革中国的崛起。在作者看来，去政治化的，与人力资本，教育与文凭相联系的“素质”，是党，“经济改革与四个现代化的伟大事业”，知识分子，老百姓，“国际资本市场”几方都能接受的作为一种塑造身份区隔与社会等级的指标。作者试图借此反驳素质与新自由主义全球化在中国扩张之间的联系，虽然她做到了，但在反驳上实在是有一点点尴尬。作者在04年的哈尔滨就遇到了“鸡娃”家长的雏形，碰上计划生育实在严厉执行的东北，一家只有一个孩子，鸡娃的动力更是大，虽然（也因为）自己没有文化，砸锅卖铁也要让孩子上大学。不过时间兜兜转转到了2020年代，文凭无用似乎再次卷土重来，这次不再因为毛主席让文凭/文化无用的“文化革命”，而是一系列全球性的（当然中国有他自己的地方性因素）文凭与人力资本的极度贬值，中国人又该如何narrating与articulating这一些列变化？回归考公，稳定，权字当头？毛主席似乎并未想过自己会以“市场经济”的方式回归，以老百姓“理性选择的方式”又回到“权字当头”与“知识越多活得越惨”？