Contention in Rural China: The Role of Wealth Disparity and Disruption in Determining Protest Success

Why do some episodes of protest in rural China succeed while others fail? Many scholars have offered explanations to address this question, but most do not go far enough in incorporating the role of economic wealth and disruptive tactics. I consider the role regional economic disparities and disruption play in determining protest success by analyzing twenty-two cases of rural protest. In this study, I define three regions of economic wealth in China and analyze the relationship between economic wealth, disruptive tactics and protest success. What this study reveals is that bargaining can serve as a mediating factor between economic wealth, disruption and protest success. This analysis provides a clearer picture of how peasants in rural China are finding ways to make their voices heard vis-à-vis the government.