@article{DUAN2024, 
author = {Zhezhe DUAN},
title = {The Evolution of Chinese People's Views on Government and a Cultural Factor Explanation (1990—2018)},
year = {2024},
journal = {China Public Administration Review},
volume = {6},
number = {3},
pages = {222-247},
keywords = {views of government, tradition, modernity, age-period-generation, Chinese-style modernization},
url = {https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.26599/CPAR.2024.9680310},
doi = {10.26599/CPAR.2024.9680310},
abstract = {The view of government reflects the expectations that people have of their government and serves as a psychological foundation for evaluating government performance, political trust, and legitimacy. For a significant period, public discourse surrounding the government in China has often revolved around the debate between “big government versus small government,” focusing on the size of government. Following China's reform and opening, efforts were made to streamline administration and delegate power while simultaneously leading the reform process. This occurred against a backdrop of rapid modernization and globalization that led to value diversification within Chinese society as well as to a resurgence of profound cultural traditions.Drawing on data obtained from the World Values Survey-China (1990—2018), this study examines changes in Chinese perceptions of government since the reform and opening. An APC model is utilized to explore age-period-generation effects on views toward the government in 1990, 1995, 2001, 2007, 2013, and 2018. Subsequently, an OSL model is employed to investigate how the traditional Confucian culture and the modern post-materialistic culture influence people's views of their government.The empirical results demonstrate the existence of an age-period-generation effect on people's views of government, indicating that such views do not change linearly with age. Specifically, individuals aged 18~24 and 25~29 exhibit a significant preference for small government, while those over age 65 significantly prefer large government. During the period from 1990 to 2018, Chinese people's attitudes toward big government followed a U-shaped trajectory, with a turning point in 2001. Prior to that year, there was a gradual shift from a preference for big government to a preference for small government. However, after 2001, there was a reversal in direction, favoring big government, which reached a peak in 2018. Prior to the establishment of new China, previous generations had tended to prefer small government. In the early years of new China (those born between 1945 and 1949), there was an increase in preference for big government despite the persistence of an overall inclination toward small government. The “chaotic” generation, those born between 1955 and 1959, exhibited the highest preference for big government; although it was decreasing and remained significant among those born between 1960 and 1964. Conversely, the transition generation (those born between 1995 and 2000) showed a significant preference for smaller government. Despite forty years since the beginning of reform and opening, the influence of modernity on Chinese society remains limited and there is no evidence of a “silent revolution.” Instead, traditional Chinese culture with its long history and unique characteristics continues to shape people's views of government.}
}