New Structuralism: A New Explanation for Chinese-style Development

Abstract

“New Structuralism” is a new academic exploration for clarifying and building confidence in the practical and theoretical approaches to “Chinese-style development”. In essence, it is very different from the “New Institutionalism” of Western scholarship, but is a concept and framework adapted to the realities of the development process in China and its special conditions and circumstances. Chinese society comprises a dual structure characterized by the co-existence of the “umbrella society” and “beehive society” that drive “Chinese-style development” by “walking on two legs”: one being a government-oriented “umbrella development”, and the other a spontaneous “beehive development” by the people. Practise has proven that if social-economic structural transformation is analogous to a musical melody, the “umbrella development” and “beehive development” will comprise a duet to propel China’s social-economic development centred on a tripartite approach that focuses on developing industries, the market, and the urban economy.