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Peace in the Shadow of Unrest: yinao and the State Response in China

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 October 2020

Xian Huang Open the ORCID record for Xian Huang [Opens in a new window]
Xian Huang*
Affiliation:
Rutgers University, New Jersey. Email: [email protected].
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Abstract

Much research on contentious politics focuses on the origins and dynamics of contention or the impact of contention on policy change. Although some studies have delved into the state reactions to contention, relatively little is known about the outcome or effectiveness of state responses, especially in non-democratic settings. This paper attempts to fill this gap and to uncover the policy feedback effect in non-democratic settings by studying the Chinese state's repression of violent incidents targeted at healthcare personnel and facilities (yinao). I argue that without comprehensive healthcare reforms to tackle the root causes of yinao, state repression of yinao generates unintended adverse outcomes, causing the doctor–patient relationship to deteriorate. Using the difference-in-differences method with China Family Panel Studies data for 2014 and 2016, I find that the criminalization of yinao diminishes public trust in doctors and confidence in hospitals’ competence and instead increases public concerns about the healthcare system.

摘要

摘要

大部分已有的抗争政治研究集中在抗争行动的起源，发展经过和政策影响。尽管一些研究已经开始关注国家（或政府）对于抗争行为的回应，学界对于这些回应的认识，尤其是在一个非民主的政治环境里国家政府对抗争行为的回应是否真的有效，还十分有限。本文通过研究中国政府对于国内连续不断发生的医闹事件所作的政策回应（医闹入刑）来揭示非民主体制下的政策反馈效应。作者认为在没有实施全面的医疗体制改革的情况下，通过医闹入刑来解决医闹问题只会适得其反，导致医患关系进一步恶化。作者利用中国家庭动态研究2014和2016的面板数据和双差分的分析方法发现：医闹入刑导致公众对医生和医院能力的信任下降，也使得公众认为医疗体制问题更加严重。

Keywords

yinaotrustpolicy feedbackhealthcarestate repressionChina医闹信任政策反馈医疗暴力镇压中国
Type
Research Article
Information
The China Quarterly , Volume 247 , September 2021 , pp. 724 - 748
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Copyright
Copyright © SOAS University of London, 2020

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