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Labour NGOs in China: A Real Force for Political Change?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 May 2014

Ivan Franceschini
Ivan Franceschini*
Affiliation:
Ca' Foscari University of Venice. Email: [email protected].
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Abstract

The narrative about Chinese NGOs active in defending migrant workers' rights describes these organizations as increasingly powerful instruments through which Chinese people take part in public affairs, develop and articulate personal interests, and collectively form a more active and participatory citizenry. This article challenges not only the idea of labour NGOs as a progressive force for political change, but also the belief – widely shared among the international labour movement – that these organizations are sprouts of independent unionism in China. After a short overview of the historical process which led to the birth of labour NGOs in China, this article analyses the relations between these NGOs and four fundamental actors – the state, the workers, international donors and other NGOs – and argues that many of these organizations are struggling as a consequence of a substantial lack of “social capital.”

Keywords

ChinalabourNGOsmigrant workerscivil societypolitical advocacysocial change
Type
Articles
Information
The China Quarterly , Volume 218 , June 2014 , pp. 474 - 492
Copyright
Copyright © The China Quarterly 2014 

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