ABSTRACT
This chapter briefly traces the fast development of the Township and Village Enterprises (TVE) sector and its role in China’s economic growth. It illustrates how the core concepts of institutional economics can be used to explain the structure of the TVEs contractual form and its evolution and variations. The chapter demonstrates the sources and methodologies used to accomplish the goals. The TVE sector comprises four types of enterprises: township enterprises, village enterprises, enterprises owned by joint rural households, and enterprises owned by single rural households or individuals. The TVE sector is not only the most rapidly growing sector in China’s economy, it is also a sector that plays an increasingly important role in China’s economic growth. The TVE sector consists of four types of enterprises: township enterprises, village enterprises, joint-household enterprises, and private enterprises. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
