Associations in the Embrace of an Authoritarian State: State Domination of Society?

In: Studies in comparative international development, Volume 35, Issue 4, p. 84-109

Abstract

According to conventional wisdom, associations that are closely linked with & penetrated by an authoritarian state are significant chiefly as symbols of state domination of society. Yet a review of empirical evidence suggests that the nature & significance of incorporated or co-opted associations varies much more widely than the conventional perspective suggests. Not only are close association-state linkages sometimes looked upon favorably by societal participants, but some independent societal associations actually seek to be co-opted by an authoritarian state. Moreover, incorporated associations often have more to do with strategies by state agencies & officials to accomplish parochial goals than with state efforts to control society. This article elucidates a new analytical perspective for understanding the dynamics & functioning of incorporated associations, citing a wide range of empirical cases to show how this perspective facilitates a better understanding of the kinds of state-society engagement that occur within & through incorporated associations. The article concludes with a brief analysis of associations in contemporary People's Republic of China that builds on the preceding discussion, illuminating the importance of local-level interactions in determining the character of incorporated associations. 94 References. Adapted from the source document.