Chinese Historical Institutions and their Contribution for Global Governance

Abstract

This article makes an interpretation, from a historical institutional perspective, of the idea of Chinese wisdom and solutions for global governance introduced in the recent Chinese official discourse. Its main objective is to shed some light on the strength of the cultural values of China’s historical institutions to negotiate the universalization of neoliberal values and normative standards. The article organization is as follows. First, it places the Chinese economic model within the concept of Sinicization. Second, it characterizes the continuity of the indigenous elements of that model, emphasizing the informal relational patterns of Chinese culture. Third, it questions the resilience of such values against the predatory effects of neoliberal style modernization and the government’s reintroduction of traditional culture narratives. Fourth, it looks at some cases of collaborative local governance; finally, it provides some concluding remarks on the demonstrative role of Chinese historical institutions vis-a-vis the normative meaning of Chinese cultural wisdom and solutions for world governance.