Participation with Chinese characteristics: an analysis of the 'mass line' in rural Maoist China and its implications for participatory development in the reform era
This paper analyses the theory and practice of the mass line in rural Maoist China from the perspective of participatory development. It shows that similar elements can be found in the mass line and participatory development approaches in terms of their epistemological presuppositions, methodologies and conception of the nature of participation. In practice, the mass line led to lively and autonomous participation at the grassroots level.