The aim of this volume is to understand the forces and processes in local and rural society in China, seeing the local levels of government in rural areas as important managers of people and resources, and as deeply involved in business and enterprise. Whether they are "Village, Inc" or not, the financial management, the ownership of the means of production, the structure of the rural enterprises, the farming structures, and the social networks all indicate that local government in rural China has corporatist traits, or can be conceived of as a hybrid of market forces and collective management. Most importantly, the role of the central state vis-a-vis rural economy forces a convergence of political and economic managemetn in rural areas, which is exacerbated by terms of ownership that some interpret as unclear.