Introduction

This book presents arguments and findings relevant to understanding the historical context and contemporary status of state-enterprise reform in China. In so doing, we present evidence from a series of studies examining social and economic changes arising from attempts at economic liberalization. The various chapters of the book consider, inter alia: the relationship between public ownership and public enterprises; theoretical debates relevant to processes of economic transformation; the historical evolution of China’s economic reform programme since 1978; issues of surplus labour, worker reemployment and industrial unrest; and contemporary case studies of reform measures within large-scale Chinese state enterprises.