Abstract:

Using the two research orientations of “structure / institution” and “process / event，” this paper reviews the sociological literature on township governments’ roles and behaviors since 1980. The literature with the “structure / institution” orientation boils down to two conclusions of “pressure systems” and “operating managers” the former accounts for the township governments’ passive， improper behaviors under the pressure of the assessment and evaluation system； the latter points to the active role that township governments in the economically developed regions play to serve their own groups’ interests. A minority of researchers has followed the new “process / event” orientation to examine township governments’ active role as the actor and their policy selection in the process of an actual event. These two research orientations are not necessarily in contradiction； they can be complementary to each other. At present， special attention should be directed to researching township governments’ roles and behaviors in the new dynamic relationship between the “state” and the “rural local society” after the tax reform in 2000.

Key words: township government, role and behavior, literature review