Market relations as Wuwei: Daoist concepts in analysis of China's post-1978 market economy

Journal article

Barbalet, Jack. (2011). Market relations as Wuwei: Daoist concepts in analysis of China's post-1978 market economy. Asian Studies Review. 35(3), pp. 335 - 354. https://doi.org/10.1080/10357823.2011.602045
AuthorsBarbalet, Jack
Abstract

This paper shows how wuwei (effortless action) and associated concepts drawn from Daoist thought are applied in analyses of the Chinese market economy and state-economy relations published in recent issues of social science and Communist Party journals in the People's Republic of China. Such use of traditional concepts partially displaces Marxist terminology from “diagnostic economics”. In discussing the use of these concepts in 5 articles published between 2000 and 2008, the economic theory of Daodejing is also presented.

KeywordsChina; market economy; Daoism; Daodejing; Laozi; state-economy relations
Year2011
JournalAsian Studies Review
Journal citation35 (3), pp. 335 - 354
PublisherRoutledge
ISSN1035-7823
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1080/10357823.2011.602045
Scopus EID2-s2.0-80051808269
Page range335 - 354
Research GroupInstitute for Religion, Politics, and Society
Publisher's version
File Access Level
Controlled
Place of publicationAustralia
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