Contents Preface Acknowledgements Abstract 1 Introduction 1.1 Research Background 1.2 Rural Governance and State-led Programs as Research Focuses 1.3 Research Objectives and Questions 1.4 Research Significance 1.5 Outline of the Book References 2 Review of Governance Theory and Rural Programs 2.1 Understanding Rural Governance from A Comparative Perspective 2.1.1 China’s Zhili in Dispute: Therapy, Ruling or Governance? 2.1.2 Rural Governance in the West 2.1.3 International Experience about Program-driven Governance 2.1.4 Legacy of Rural Governance in China 2.2 The Rise of Rural Programs in China 2.2.1 Rural Issues Matter 2.2.2 Fiscal Background in the Formation of Rural Programs 2.2.3 Booming State-led Programs in the Countryside 2.2.4 Programs and Foundations in History 2.2.5 Program System Embedding Bureaucracy and Market 2.3 Rural Governance Changes Driven by State-led Programs in China 2.3.1 Intergovernmental Relations 2.3.2 Performance of State-dominated Programs 2.3.3 Effects on Local Governance 2.4 Summary References 3 Conceptual Framework and Methodology 3.1 Conceptual Framework and Research Process 3.2 Research Area 3.2.1 Jiangning District 3.2.2 Tangjiajia Village 3.2.3 Xinghui Village 3.3 Data Sources and Collection References 4 Governing the Countryside through State-led Programs in Jiangning 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Local Response to Policy Directives 4.2.1 Intergovernmental and Social Mobilization 4.2.2 Reconstructing the State Apparatus 4.2.3 Rural Planning 4.3 State Rescaling through Programs 4.3.1 Rhetorical Legitimization 4.3.2 Path-dependent Implementation 4.3.3 Legitimizing Land Expropriation 4.4 Conclusion References 5 Commodification of Tangjiajia and Sustainable Governance in Question 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Rural Commodification, Rural Commons and the State Role 5.2.1 Rural Commodification and Entrepreneurialism 5.2.2 Interventional State and Rural Public Goods Provision 5.3 State-led Partnership Attracting the Community and Market 5.3.1 Tangjiajia—Grassroots Hot-Spring In Every Family 5.3.2 Community Entrepreneurship and Market Response 5.3.3 Home Consensus of the Community 5.4 Sustainable Provision of Public Goods in Question 5.4.1 Paradox and Provisionality in Rural Governance 5.4.2 Introducing Private Management—PPP Model in the Making 5.4.3 Sustainability in Question 5.5 Conclusion References 6 Grassroots Participation in Xinghui and Challenges of Farming Governance 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Cooperatives, Family Farms, and Rural Governance 6.2.1 Cooperatives and Their Governance 6.2.2 Land Tenure Reform and Family Farms 6.2.3 An Ideal Governance Model 6.3 Xingbo Family Farm and Xinggen Cooperative 6.3.1 Xingbo Family Farm 6.3.2 Xinggen Cooperative 6.4 Grassroots Participation Driven by State-led Programs 6.4.1 The State-led Programs 6.4.2 Farmers’ Participation 6.5 Less-than-ideal Governance in the Two-tier Model 6.5.1 Social Service by Cooperatives 6.5.2 The Allocation of Profit 6.6 Conclusion References 7 Conclusion and Discussion 7.1 Main Research Findings 7.2 Conceptualizing Rural Governance Driven By State-led Programs 7.3 Policy Implications for Rural Governance 7.4 Limitations and Future Research Agendas References Appendix 1 List of Interviewees Appendix 2 Semi-structured Interview Questions