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A survey study of voting behavior and political participation in Zhejiang

He, Baogang 2006, A survey study of voting behavior and political participation in Zhejiang, Japanese journal of political science, vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 225-246.

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Title A survey study of voting behavior and political participation in Zhejiang
Author(s) He, Baogang
Journal name Japanese journal of political science
Volume number 7
Issue number 3
Start page 225
End page 246
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Place of publication Cambridge, England
Publication date 2006
ISSN 1468-1099
Summary Two existing models are used to conceptualize the constrained and limited participation in the communist system. The mobilization model suggests that participation was so mobilized by the party/state that it was largely meaningless, while the disengagement model supports the idea that many communist citizens adopted non-participatory behaviors such as non-voting as a means of protest. This paper attempts to demonstrate the importance of a third model – the emergent democratic culture model. The survey results show that the participation index is in proportion to the number of elections in which a villager is involved; and a growing number of voters in Zhejiang are developing citizen-initiated participation, with rights consciousness.

This research finds that the level of participation is influenced by three major factors: the perceived worth of the election itself, regularity of electoral procedures, and the fairness of electoral procedures. It also finds that parochial political culture and political apathy still exist, and the emergent democratic consciousness falls short of an ideal democratic standard. While a highly democratic culture helps to develop village democracy, the apathetic attitude continues to support the authoritarian leadership and structure in many villages. The paper also gives an account of survey research in rural China and offers a thoughtful critique of the use of voting and non-voting as the sole indicator of political participation.
Language eng
Field of Research 160603 Comparative Government and Politics
HERDC Research category C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal
Copyright notice ©Cambridge University Press
Persistent URL http://hdl.handle.net/10536/DRO/DU:30003720

Document type: Journal Article
Collection: School of International and Political Studies
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