Reconsidering the ‘China model’ through structure and agency: The hybrid realities of Chinese capitalism and ‘socialism with Chinese characteristics’

Abstract

This article reframes the conventional discourse on China’s political and economic identity by examining contrasting perspectives on its status as either a capitalist or socialist. Through a critical juxtaposition between capitalist conceptualizations of the Chinese political economy and the parallel perspective of socialism with Chinese characteristics, we explore the meaningful sense in which China can be said to exhibit traits of both capitalism and socialism. The structure-centric perspective emphasizes China’s capitalist features, highlighting market mechanisms as the primary resource-allocation method. In contrast, the agency-centric perspective held by Chinese Marxists justifies capitalist elements within China’s socialist framework, positioning SWCC as a transitional phase toward communism. We challenge the inherent limitations of adopting exclusively structure- or agency-centric approaches, advocating for a more nuanced interpretation that transcends deterministic or voluntaristic pitfalls. Our argument posits that the oversimplified dichotomy overlooks the intricate dynamics emerging from the dialectical interplay between China’s integration into the global capitalist system and, in parallel, the purportedly socialist policy initiatives of the communist party-state. A dialectical perspective, illustrated by the application of a strategic-relational approach to China, invites scholars to engage theoretically with the hybrid elements characterizing China’s unique political-economic developmental trajectory, urging a more nuanced understanding of how China’s socialist legacy and capitalist reforms influence its developmental trajectory.