The needs of business in China: implications for public and social policies

The needs of businesses and the economy more broadly shape government policies in most states. Businesses are the engine of productivity. They employ workers. Businesses pay taxes as do their employees. For these reasons, there has been a great deal of interest in the role of businesses and business people in shaping social and public policies across various states. There is also a well-developed literature that suggests that the importance of businesses to citizens and governments means that the needs and interests of business are the most important drivers and determinants of government policies. The question that this thesis focuses on is what is the situation in a country like China? China has a less developed welfare state, but it is also one of the major engines of global capitalism. Many businesses in China are state owned, but a growing number are private and international. Does this mean that there is a different balance when it comes to the power and influence of business in China? Does the state tend to ignore business needs? How are the needs of businesses perceived and portrayed by policy makers? And what are the implications for citizens? This thesis seeks to address all of these questions in a changing China, through data analysis, interviews with key elites and analysis of important policy documents. Such questions have, to date, been neglected. It finds that, as with many such issues relating to China, the answers are surprising and also complex.