In China’s Agrarian Transition, René Trappel makes a fine contribution to the scholarly literature examining the direction and purpose of reforms to rural land use in contemporary China.... Well written, strongly argued and based on impressive empirical evidence, this undoubtedly is an excellent addition to the growing body of studies on China’s land regime. It deserves to be read by all scholars and students of rural development and agrarian change in contemporary China.

China Quarterly

This is a succinct and empathetic analysis of the endless muddling-through of agrarian reforms in China. By placing us in their restrictive yet enabling contexts, Dr. Trappel helps us understand the expectations, frustrations, and hopes of Chinese peasants, rural cadres, government officials, and political leaders.

Lianjiang Li, University of Hong Kong

China’s agrarian society is in the midst of an historical fundamental change. René Trappel’s volume captures and illuminates the urgent issues of this transition and adopts the specific and understudied point of view of villagers whose lives are being altered. His careful fieldwork provides the basis for a clear understanding of the struggles facing China’s smallholders as they encounter far more powerful actors and economic forces. This volume represents systematic hypothesis testing that applies an historical institutional approach and process tracing animated by extensive first-hand in-depth interviews. His well-supported yet contentious argument contributes tremendously to the debate on how to understand the problems that result from the myriad changes to institutions structuring agrarian and rural life. In short, this volume is a must-read for any China watcher interested in considering the winners and losers of China’s great agrarian transition.

John A. Donaldson, Singapore Management University

This book offers an exciting new perspective on the forces transforming rural China. Based on a wide range of sources—from interviews to central government documents to rental contracts between rural households and companies—René Trappel convincingly uncovers the many structural factors presently leading to the commodification of farmland without actual privatization. The main argument of the book cuts to the heart of the debate about how we should interpret the recent past, present, and future of Chinese agriculture and rural society. Lucidly written and carefully argued, this book is well suited for undergraduate and graduate courses on rural China.

Stig Thøgersen, Aarhus University