Abstract:

Rural decline amidst modernization is a global challenge. In the context of Chinese modernization, the Communist Party of China’s Rural Revitalization Strategy explores supply-side institutional innovations to foster integrated urban-rural development. Although demand-induced institutional innovations are known to drive regional development by aligning actor incentives, the mechanisms through which state-led supply-oriented innovations facilitate rural revitalization remain less understood. Drawing on the theory of Embedded Autonomy, this paper constructs an analytical framework of “Institutional Supply-State Capacity-Institutional Performance.” Using the Resident Village Instructor System in Keqiao, Zhejiang as a case study, this study examines the mechanisms linking institutional supply to rural revitalization. An in-depth examination of this local practice not only aids in its promotion and diffusion but also offers analytical insights for other state-led institutional innovations.

Key words: rural revitalization, institutional supply, embedded autonomy, state capacity, resident village instructor