ABSTRACT
The term ‘private coffer’ is so well known in China that everybody understands what it means. But while nearly everybody believes no unit should have a private coffer, nearly everybody hopes his or her own unit can have one. While nearly everybody supports crackdowns on private coffers, nearly everybody hopes the private coffer affecting him or her will survive. While nearly everybody is fully aware of the harms of private coffers, nearly everybody hopes his or her personal interests associated with the private coffer will not be affected. The state has repeatedly banned private coffers and cracked down on them annually. Yet instead of being banned, private coffers continue to thrive, both in number and in value. Why? Can private coffers be effectively contained?
