WENHUI SHAN：An alternative way of urbanization

 

工作论文系列

No.E2005002

 

An alternative way of urbanization

WENHUI SHAN

An alternative way of urbanizationWENHUI SHANCONTESTATION: PURPOSEFUL RATIONALITY VERSUS VALUE RATIONALITY In the view of Max Weber, history is a process of rationality and secularization. Purposeful rationality (efficiency) and value rationality (equality) have been the two basic and contrary dimensions of any given social regime since the transition from traditionalism to modernity. Although this immanent contradiction of human society is a source of endless controversy, there is still a consensus that the balance between these two dimensions is the precondition for sustainable development in the long run. Placing purposeful rationality over value rationality has been the nature of China’s economic reform during the last twenty years of the twentieth century. As opposed to other post-socialist countries, China’s reform has been gradual, experimental and piece-meal. The withdrawal of the central government from heavy-handed economic management to a free market made a great contribution to economic growth. At present, although the structural disadvantage in the micro-economic realm still remains a major problem for the improvement of economic growth quality and further development, the achievements of economic reform are apparent. The average growth rate of the GDP remains near double-digit, and as a consequence, has uplifted hundreds of millions of people out of absolute poverty. China has, in fact, made the largest single contribution to reducing global poverty of any country in the last 20 years.1The concurrent changes in space are the manifestations of significant transformations in the social and institutional dimensions.