ABSTRACT

Much has been written of China's peasant revolution, less has been written on the peasant experience of reform. In From Heaven to Earth Elisabeth Croll examines the images, policies and experiences of development and links the peasants' experience of revolution and reform with their conceptualisations of time and change and examines the new and recent desires which motivate peasant households in China; the new and strenuous demands which are generated by current reforms which allocate new responsibilities to the peasant family; and family strategies evolved by peasant housholds to maximise their resources within the context of reformed rural development. From Heaven to Earth will be of great interest to students, lecturers and professionals in development studies, anthropology, sociology and Chinese Studies.

part |2 pages

Introduction

chapter 1|12 pages

Imaging heaven: collective dreams

part |2 pages

Part I Reform: household and village

part |2 pages

Part II Readjustment: the village

part |2 pages

Part III Readjustment: the household

part |2 pages

Conclusion

chapter 10|11 pages

Living the earth: family aspirations