Rural Government Research Articles

Construction of Legal Order in Traditional Villages under the Background of Rural Revitalization Strategy--Taking Qianmei Village of Shantou City as an Example

Since the new era, the construction of rural rule of law has gradually received more attention and attention. The construction of rural rule of law order is an important link to promote the construction of rural rule of law, and it is an inherent requirement to promote the implementation of rural revitalization strategy from the track of rule of law. Under the background of rural revitalization strategy, traditional villages take cultural tourism development as a means of revitalization and development and introduce more subjects such as tourists into the field of rural development. The experience and deficiencies of rural governance and the construction of legal order are of more reference value. Taking Qianmei Village, Shantou City, Guangdong Province as an example, this study uses the research methods of questionnaire survey, interview survey, field observation and literature survey to explore the practical experience of traditional villages in promoting rural governance by industrial development and forming villagers' norms by village rules and people's conventions, and concludes that there are four problems in the construction of the rule of law in the process of unclear legislation, lack of confidence, lack of law popularization and insufficient guarantee mechanism. In the face of these problems, the author tries to improve the basic legal system and build the foundation of the legal order in rural areas. Improve the ability to practice the rule of law and establish the authority of the rule of law in rural areas; Improve grassroots legal services, based on the actual needs of rural areas; The overall idea of strengthening the publicity and education of the rule of law and innovating the publicity methods of the rule of law seeks to make the rule of law truly rooted in the rural land of Chinese society.

Local Body Election in Tamil Nadu - A View

This article examines the evolution and current structure of local governance and election practices in Tamil Nadu, tracing back to the historical Uravai system of village councils, where community-elected elders adjudicated local disputes. With roots in ancient Tamil society, local self-governance evolved significantly under the reign of Tamil kings, particularly during the Chola period, where the Kudavolai system—a forerunner to modern democracy—allowed villagers to select council members for self-administration. Following independence, the Indian government initiated reforms to decentralize governance, notably through the Balvantrai Mehta and Ashok Mehta Committees. These committees advocated for a three-tier rural governance model, later enshrined in the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments. Tamil Nadu, aligning with these democratic principles, enacted the Panchayat Act in 1994, establishing a modern framework for local elections with distinct advancements, including reserved seats for women to enhance political inclusion. The article highlights how Tamil Nadu’s local governance structure, blending historical customs with contemporary democratic reforms, promotes public welfare through elected municipal bodies, demonstrating progressive strides in gender representation and local political participation.

Research on the Effectiveness of China's Rural Land Ownership Policy

The confirmation of rural land rights and the "separation of three rights" have opened the prelude to the deepening reform of China's agricultural land system, and are of great significance to the implementation of rural revitalization and agricultural security strategy in the new era. Based on existing literature studies, this paper summarizes and analyzes the effect of land ownership confirmation on farmers' income, land circulation, scale management, urbanization, rural governance and other aspects of China's rural land ownership confirmation. The research shows that land ownership confirmation can improve farmers' income, promote land circulation and scale management to a certain extent, but the effect is limited. The impact on urbanization and rural governance is still unclear.

The Effect of Digital Economy on Rural Environmental Governance: Evidence from China

Exploring the inherent mechanisms by which the digital economy fosters rural environmental governance holds paramount importance for driving the sustainable development of rural regions and elevating the living standards of rural residents. Drawing upon theoretical frameworks and extensive literature reviews, we have devised comprehensive indicator systems for quantifying the development trajectory of the digital economy and the efficacy of rural environmental governance, employing the entropy method for measurement. Leveraging panel data that spans from 2011 to 2022, encompassing 31 provinces across China, we empirically delve into the influence of the digital economy on rural environmental governance, along with its underlying mechanisms, by employing a fixed effects model. The baseline regression results reveal that the development of the digital economy can significantly promote the improvement of rural environmental governance, even after considering potential endogeneity issues. Moreover, the test results of the mediation effect show that the digital economy can enhance the level of rural environmental governance by accelerating industrial structure optimization and improving green technology innovation. Furthermore, the test result of the regulatory effect implies that the urban–rural dual structure may inhibit the positive effect of the digital economy on rural environmental governance. Additionally, there exists regional disparities in which the digital economy influences rural environmental governance, with the eastern region exhibiting a more pronounced effect compared to other regions.

Is a Rural Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Conducive to the Improvement of Entrepreneurial Performance? Evidence from Typical Counties of Rural Entrepreneurship and Innovation in China

Rural entrepreneurship is an important means to solve the problem of “rural decline” and is also the focus of the “rural revitalization” strategy. The rural entrepreneurship ecosystem directly affects entrepreneurial performance. Based on the configurational perspective, using the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) method, taking 85 typical rural innovation and entrepreneurship demonstration counties in China as research samples, this study explores the impact path of the rural entrepreneurship ecosystem composed of multiple factors on entrepreneurial performance and the complex causal mechanisms behind it. The results show that market size, human capital, financial capital, infrastructure (both hardware and software), and government scale cannot individually constitute the necessary conditions for high or non-high rural entrepreneurial performance; there exist two pathways driving high entrepreneurial performance in rural areas: a market-driven financing-and-intelligence integration pathway and a government-supported infrastructure-assisted pathway. Under certain conditions, there is a substitution relationship between rural entrepreneurial market allocation and government intervention; there are two paths driving non-high rural entrepreneurial performance, which are summarized into market–financing suppression and market–government suppression according to the core driving factors. By systematically analyzing the impact of the rural entrepreneurial ecosystem on entrepreneurial performance, and explaining the intrinsic logic and path of high and non-high entrepreneurial performance based on the configurational perspective, this paper provides a decision-making reference for further enhancing the entrepreneurial performance in rural China and realizing rural revitalization.

Enhancing the Competences of Female Village Officials in Zhanjiang from the Perspective of the Sociology of Knowledge

This study investigates the socio-cultural and institutional challenges faced by female village officials in Zhanjiang, using the sociology of knowledge framework to explore how tailored training programs can enhance their competences. Qualitative data, collected from participatory observation, semi-structured interviews, and training documents, were analyzed, revealing that context-specific and gender-sensitive approaches to knowledge selection, application, and transmission can empower the female officials to bridge the gap between theoretical concepts and everyday governance. Additionally, participatory methods like role-playing and case studies, adopted by the training can help the female officials apply new skills to real-world governance challenges. The findings also suggest training content needs to align with the socio-cultural realities of female village officials, particularly in aspects related to leadership, dispute mediation, and rural development. By focusing on the interplay between formal, codified knowledge and local, tacit knowledge, the study contributes to the literature on in-service training, rural governance, and gender studies.

Village Organization and Sustainable Growth of Farmers’ Income: An Empirical Study Based on Dynamic Survey Data of the Labor Force in China

Common prosperity is the core goal of rural revitalization, and the sustainable growth of farmers’ income is an inevitable requirement. This study uses CLDS2014-2018 village- and family-level questionnaire data to reveal how the degree of village organization affects the sustainable growth of farmers’ income, thus providing a reference for local government decision-making to promote the increase in farmers’ income and narrow the income gap at the village level. The results show that the degree of village organization can significantly affect farmers’ income, and the analysis results of the degree of formal organization are consistent with this. Specifically, for every 1% increase in the degree of village organization, the per capita household income will increase by 0.324%, among which, the wage income will increase by 0.226%, the operational income will increase by 5%, the property income will increase by 0.008%, and the transfer income will increase by 0.042%. The estimation results obtained by using instrumental variables are consistent, and the results are robust. At the same time, improving the degree of village organization can also significantly increase the proportion of farmers’ non-agricultural income and narrow the income gap among farmers. On the impact of heterogeneity, it was found that the geographical distance between villages and county and township governments, as well as the political identity and education level of farmers, will affect the role of the degree of organization. The results of the mechanism analysis show that improving the degree of village organization is mainly achieved by promoting the circulation of agricultural land, socializing the service of agricultural machinery, and providing industrial and commercial capital to the countryside to increase farmers’ income. The research revealed that the modernization of rural governance should be accelerated and the degree of village organization should be improved, especially the degree of formal organization, so as to build benign trust and a cooperative relationship between village committees and villagers and implement policies and measures that improve the income of farmers according to local conditions. At the same time, this will strengthen the publicity and education of party members to improve the proportion of rural party members and the education level of farmers.

The Impact of Digital Rural Construction on Rural Revitalization-Empirical Evidence from Chinese County Panel Data

High-quality economic growth across society is increasingly being driven by the quickly evolving digital economy, with digital villages integrated into various aspects of rural development, construction, and governance, providing essential digital support for achieving comprehensive rural revitalization. By employing county-level panel data from China spanning 2018 to 2020, the Rural Revitalization Index was constructed and applied at the county level, and empirical tests were performed in combination with the Digital Village Index. The results demonstrate that the establishment of digital villages greatly enhances the progress of rural revitalization, with the sub-dimensions of digitalized rural economies and rural lifestyles playing particularly positive roles. Based on this, the mechanisms through which digital village construction empowers rural revitalization were examined, with the process being summarized as “factor aggregation–entities cultivation–market integration.” Further analysis demonstrates that the empowerment effect of digital village construction on rural revitalization is more pronounced in counties that are not major grain producers, have longer road networks, and are located closer to Hangzhou. Thus, it is essential to continue advancing digital village initiatives, identify integration points based on rural functional roles and resource endowments, and explore pathways to fully realize their empowering effects on rural revitalization.

Determinants of Small and Rural Local Governments’ Renewable Energy Program Adoption in Cascadia

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the determinants of renewable energy policy adoption by small and rural local governments in Cascadia. Background: Small and rural local governments currently face many ongoing and numerous new challenges that complicate their task of sustaining current public services and programs. How government officials adapt to these changes can affect the long-term viability of local governments in both the U.S. and Canadian contexts. Objective: This study has examined the presence or absence of renewable energy programs in small and rural local governments in the “Cascadia” region of Canada and the U.S. (British Columbia, Oregon, and Washington). Methods: Using surveys and interviews of Cascadia local government leaders during the summer and fall of 2023, correlates of renewable energy policy adoption have been examined, including cultural, demographic, economic, and political factors. Results: Key findings have indicated cities, experiencing population growth, and those with a progressive political orientation to be more inclined to adopt renewable energy policies. Conversely, remote communities have demonstrated a lower propensity for such adoption. Financial constraints, evidenced by the impact of inflation and the necessity for service cutbacks, have been found to negatively correlate with the consideration of renewable energy policies. Conclusion: This study has indicated renewable energy projects to be more often found or contemplated in areas being politically liberal, densely populated, and not predominantly rural. It could be beneficial in shifting the perception of renewable energy from being predominantly an environmental concern to being recognized for its economic benefits.

Research on the Functions and Obstacles of Rural Social Organizations in Rural Governance from the Perspective of Structural Functionalism

Since the reform and opening up, with the transformation of the national governance model, my country's rural social structure has undergone earth-shaking changes. The multi-center governance subject structure has gradually replaced the traditional single governance subject structure and has become the main model for the management of rural social public affairs in my country. As an important subject in governance activities, rural social organizations play a key role in promoting farmers' collective actions and nurturing grassroots democracy. As an important part of the rural social structure, rural social organizations not only have their structure and functions rooted in the transformation of the social structure, but their changes and development also play an important role in the transformation of the social structure. From the perspective of structural functionalism, analyzing the role and function of rural social organizations in the rural social structure has positive theoretical value and practical significance for achieving the effective fit of the structure and function of rural social organizations and building a benign management order in rural society under the background of the rural revitalization strategy.

Strengthening Rural Governance for Rural Development Through Collaborative Strategy: the Application of Soft System Methodology and Textual Network Analysis

Strengthening Rural Governance for Rural Development Through Collaborative Strategy: the Application of Soft System Methodology and Textual Network Analysis

Information Stratification: An Understanding of Rural Governance in the New Media Era

Current research on media governance emphasizes the technological aspect of information as a tool but lacks sufficient attention to the digital transformation of information subjects. This paper aims to focus on the internal information characteristics of rural governance in the digital age, thus understanding the changes of rural governance subjects in the information society under new media contexts. Based on more than a decade of fieldwork in rural areas of Beijing conducted by the research team, this study employs in-depth interviews and participant observation in a multi-case study, exploring the structural representation of rural governance from an information perspective. The research reveals that in the new media era, rural society, under multiple governance bodies, generates differentiated information stratification, specifically manifesting as instrumental rational information in the formal governance layer, proxy implementation information in the semi-formal governance layer, and livelihood-adaptive information in the informal governance layer. Among these, the authority-driven governance information in the formal layer is the core part of the rural governance system. The subjects and structures of information under multiple governance bodies are interconnected and coexist within the internal field of rural governance, subsequently driving the centralization of formal governance information, the collaboration of semi-formal governance information, and the alienation of informal governance information. This leads to the emergence of orderly information stratification within the multi-layered governance structure. Information stratification deepens the explanatory pathway of multi-layered governance in rural social studies and proposes new perspectives for understanding rural governance issues in the new media era.

How effective are social accountability mechanisms in Bangladesh’s rural local governments?

How effective are social accountability mechanisms in Bangladesh’s rural local governments?

Village Asset Management Innovations Through Application-Based Systems

Background: Effective asset management in rural areas is vital for transparency and accountability in village governance. Specific Background: This study examines the management of village assets through the Village Asset Management System (SIPADES). Knowledge Gap: Despite its implementation, many villages struggle with systematic asset management, raising concerns about regulatory compliance and efficiency. Aims: The research aims to analyze current asset management practices using SIPADES and identify challenges faced by local administrators. Results: Findings reveal that while SIPADES offers a structured framework, issues with data collection and adherence to regulations hinder its effectiveness. Novelty: This study highlights the need for improved training for local operators in digital asset management. Implications: Enhancing administrators' capacity in SIPADES can lead to better asset management outcomes, promoting accountability in rural governance and aligning practices with national regulations, crucial for sustainable development. Highlights : Structured Framework: SIPADES provides a systematic approach to asset management in villages. Training Needs: Enhanced training for local administrators is essential for effective system utilization. Regulatory Alignment: Addressing compliance issues is crucial for promoting accountability and sustainable development. Keywords: asset management, rural governance, SIPADES, regulatory compliance, transparency

Addressing the Challenges of Rural Local Governments: Perceptions of State Assistance

Addressing the Challenges of Rural Local Governments: Perceptions of State Assistance

Intelligent vs. Cultural: Research on the path to improve the resilience of urban and rural community governance based on the AHP-FCE model

Community resilience is a core component of grassroots governance modernization, and community resilience shows different characteristics depending on the type of community. Existing research on community resilience mainly uses direct questionnaire data, relatively ignoring the differences in weights of various dimensions. Different categories of community resilience components play different roles in community resilience. Based on this, the study cited the logic of the AHP-FCE model and added objective data based on empowering resilience, thus making up for the model's shortcomings while giving full play to the model's advantages. The quantitative analysis of 353 questionnaires from five urban districts and five rural communities in the sample city was based on the community resilience evaluation model. In the current process of community resilience construction, there are typical problems of a lack of cultural resilience in urban community resilience construction and a need for more intelligent resilience in rural community resilience construction. The key to future community resilience construction is reconciling the relationship between cultural and intellectual resilience to solve the problem of targeting deviation in urban communities and rural community resilience construction. It is necessary to adhere to the spirit of “long-term construction” to build the cultural resilience of urban communities, implement the path of “digital empowerment” to make the intelligent resilience of rural communities, and adhere to the standard of “complete redundancy” to form an urban and rural community resilience governance mechanism gradually, and then Move towards more resilient urban and rural community governance and help realize the modernization of grassroots governance.

Challenges in Community Participation for Village Governance Planning

General Background: Community involvement is vital in Indonesia's local governance, particularly through village deliberations. Specific Background: Kemiri Village in Sidoarjo faces challenges in effectively utilizing Musyawarah Desa due to limited participation and knowledge among decision-makers. Knowledge Gap: While previous studies indicate low engagement, few address specific barriers in Kemiri's context. Aims: This research explores the role of Village Deliberation in formulating the Kemiri Village Government Work Plan, focusing on community needs. Results: Findings reveal that while Musyawarah Desa facilitates discussions, issues like low attendance and inadequate decision-maker knowledge impede effective planning. Novelty: The study applies Mintzberg’s theoretical framework to analyze village deliberation dynamics, offering new insights into rural governance. Implications: Enhancing community participation and decision-maker competency is crucial for effective local governance and sustainable development in Kemiri Village. Highlights: Importance of Community Engagement: Active participation in Musyawarah Desa is crucial for effective local governance and addressing community needs. Barriers to Participation: Limited knowledge among decision-makers and low community attendance hinder optimal planning outcomes in Kemiri Village. Theoretical Framework Application: The study employs Mintzberg’s framework to analyze the dynamics of village deliberation, providing new insights into rural governance. Keywords: Village Deliberation, Community Participation, Local Governance, Work Plan

Resident Participation in Environmental Governance of Sustainable Tourism in Rural Destination

The rapid development of rural tourism has placed significant pressure on the rural environment, and relying solely on the government and market forces is insufficient for effective governance. It is urgent to integrate endogenous rural forces into environmental governance. The development of social behavior theory offers new insights into exploring sustainable approaches for resident participation in environmental governance in rural tourism areas. This paper, based on the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) theoretical framework from social behavior theory, outlines the entire process of rural tourism residents transitioning from individual stimuli to psychological responses and ultimately to participation in environmental governance. This study combines the Motivation-Opportunity-Ability (MOA) model to analyze the stimulus factors affecting local residents and jointly constructs a path mechanism model for resident participation in environmental governance in rural tourism areas. A total of 462 valid questionnaires were collected through a survey, and the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) method was used for empirical testing to determine the path coefficients between variables. On this basis, a system dynamics model was constructed to simulate the dynamic evolution of the relationships between variables. This study found the following: (1) In the process of rural tourism, residents’ participation in environmental governance relies on motivational factors at the stimulus level to play a core leading role; opportunity factors act as catalysts, and ability factors serve as auxiliaries; participation willingness at the organism level plays a crucial role. (2) Material pursuit and formal institutions are the strongest single sustainable factors for residents’ participation in environmental governance in rural tourism areas; combinations of variables such as local attachment, governance knowledge, and governance identity have significant effects. It is recommended that future rural tourism leverage government guidance, coordinate interests, and adhere to a collaborative development approach to ensure the sustainable development of the rural tourism environment.

Rural Government Cooperation Intensity and Leadership in Fostering the Innovation Capabilities of Rural Microbusinesses

Introduction: The growth of rural entrepreneurship significantly impacts economic growth and the well-being of rural communities. Background Problem: Innovation is crucial for entrepreneurs' success, with rural government playing a pivotal role in rural societies. Novelty: This study overviews the role of rural government in fostering entrepreneurial innovation, focusing on inter-organizational collaboration and the village head's leadership style. Research Method: Employing a quantitative survey methodology, the study undertook direct surveys of 300 rural micro- and small-scale entrepreneurs from diverse industries in Indonesia. A simple random sampling technique was used to ensure a representative sample of the population. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling—Partial Least Squares. Findings: The analysis reveals that rural government cooperation and transformative leadership positively influence entrepreneurs' perceptions of organiza­tional support. In turn, perceived organizational support significantly impacts the desire for knowledge sharing and innovation capability enhancement. This study diverges from previous research by examining the mediating roles of knowledge sharing and perceived organizational support in innovation capability enhancement. It confirms that perceived organizational support is a vital mediator in the relationship between government cooperation intensity, transformational leadership, and innovation capability. Conclusions: The findings underscore the need for rural governments to practice effective cooperation and leadership and provide consistent support. Such strategies facilitate a supportive environ­ment that fosters knowledge sharing and significantly boosts rural entrepreneurs' innovation capabilities.

Advancing Rural Entrepreneurship: Does Microfinancing Matter?

This paper examines the effect of microfinance products on the performance of rural businesses in developing economies. The study is survey research that uses multiple regression models with a sample of 228 small businesses from rural communities. Two regression models were developed and tested. The two dependent variables are: profits and sales growth. The four independent variables are: loans, savings, insurance, and education, with five control variables: gender, managerial skills, age, industry, and size. Both regression models are significant (0.000) with adjusted R-squared values > 70%. Thus, the two models are valid predictors of financial performance. The optimal strategy is to get micro-loans, education and insurance, and to have micro-savings. The study extends the literature on the microfinance drivers and other characteristics influencing the development of rural businesses in an emerging market context. The study also serves as a benchmark in utilizing scarce resources for the sustainability and performance of rural businesses. Implications for practice and research for rural entrepreneurs, microfinance institutions, and government as well as limitations and further studies, are discussed.