Water and Power a review of Oriental Despotism from water rights issues in China

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24510353
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Area studies
• Research Institution: University of Nagasaki
• Principal Investigator: QI JIanmin 長崎県立大学, 国際情報学部, 教授 (70448819)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 中国における国家権力 / 水争 / 水権 / 民間水利慣行 / 水利共同体

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The goal of this study is to examine the validity of Karl A. Wittfogel’s Water Control and Distribution theory, and ravel the governance structure in modern China, from the case studies of water rights dilemmas. In North China, the water rights at several watersheds are under control of civil societies. This kind of societies have the civil supports; meanwhile they are also involved in the state power. The societies seek the intervention of the state to settle issues in the case of that the issues could not be judged by the societies. In general, the state makes the judgment by referring the local practices. As a result, the water rights is preserved by both state power and local practices.

Free Research Field

地域研究