ABSTRACT
In the aftermath of the 1978 reforms that created a market economy and diversified public interests and social life in China, new institutions and organizations outside of the state system increased dramatically in number, size, and influence. According to the 2001 edition of China’s official statistics, the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MOCA) and its local branches had registered as many as 136,841 social organizations (SOs) nationwide as well as almost 700,000 non-governmental and non-commercial enterprises (NGNCEs) (Liao 2000: 31). Furthermore, the number of non-registered, self-organized social and cultural groups in urban neighborhood communities may well exceed that of registered social organizations.1 These organizations, which barely existed before the reforms began in the late 1970s, assist the government in many social, economic, and cultural tasks. In addition, they carry out programs that address social issues neglected by the government, from establishing centers for abused women and children to organizing community recycling programs.
