ABSTRACT
When Rural Development: Learning from China was published in the late 1970s (Aziz 1978), nobody could have imagined that Mao’s model described in that book could be totally abandoned five years later. At the turn of the century, China’s development seems to have approached a new crossroad due to increasing social contradictions, conflicts and ecological crises. Despite extensive literature on rural reform, development and sustainability, few writers have actually considered the role of the rural poor. As a result, rural development and innovation are seen as a process of a ‘big push’ from government, initiative by ‘new professionals’ or the growth of local entrepreneurs. Whilst there is no reason to exclude the above elements, the rural poor, the ‘first actors’ of sustainable development in these poor regions of China, are largely neglected. To fill the gap, this book draws attention to the innovative potential of ordinary farmers and the implications for sustainable development in the marginal areas of China. Accordingly, this chapter begins by outlining the main challenges to rural development and sustainability, followed by a critical review of major theoretical approaches. Section 1.3 clarifies the research questions and framework of analysis, whilst the final section outlines the book’s structure and content.
