ABSTRACT
There are several theoretical approaches to the study of democratic transitions and democratization.2 For example, structural or systemic factors, particularly pertaining to economic development and democratization, have been contrasted with actor-centered or elite-oriented approaches. A distinction has also been drawn between the domestic and international dimensions of democratization. Advocates from more advanced democracies, regional or global powers, as Di Palma argues, can help in the democratization of developing countries;3 the process can also be facilitated by the presence of domestic conditions such as the level of socio-economic development, the socio-political culture, presence of civil societies and the quality of the political elite. So, while internal factors are generally acknowledged to be of primary importance in the promotion of rural democratization, external actors are also known to exert certain influence which domestic actors have not been able to. China is one such country that exhibits such a characteristic. This chapter focuses on the role of foreign actors, in particular non-governmental organizations (NGOs), in China in promoting village democracy.
