Original
Trust Chains and the Resilience of Patronage Networks :The Use of Indirect Guanxi Under Anti-Corruption
Abstract
This study investigates how anti-corruption campaigns reconfigure patronage networks in China. Ethnographic findings show frequent leadership turnover compels cadres to rely on indirect guanxi for protection and promotion. Under pressure, networks consolidate into resilient ‘trust chains’—tightly knit sequences of high-trust dyadic ties reinforced by norms like renqing and yiqi. These chains are fortified by tactics such as embedding allies in inspection bodies or deploying scapegoats. Consequently, guanxi functions less as simple trust and more as ‘trust chain’ that secures benefits. The analysis reveals how cultural and institutional factors mutually reproduce corruption, suggesting that only sustained high-pressure campaigns paired with structural reform can disrupt this cycle.
中文
信任链与庇护网络的韧性：反腐败背景下间接关系的运用
摘要
本研究考察反腐败运动如何重构中国的庇护网络。民族志研究发现，频繁的领导班子更替迫使干部依赖间接关系（关系）来寻求保护和晋升。在压力之下，网络整合为具有韧性的“信任链”——由高信任度的二元关系紧密连接而成的序列，并受人请、义气等规范的强化。这些链条通过安插盟友进入监察机构或部署替罪羊等策略得到巩固。因此，关系的作用不只是简单的信任，而更像是一种能够确保利益的“信任链”。分析揭示了文化因素与制度因素如何相互再生产腐败，并表明只有持续的高压运动与结构性改革相结合，才能打破这一循环。
关键词
反腐败、庇护网络、关系、信任链、间接关系、干部、人情、义气