Throughout the history of rangeland governance in China, a mix of feudal, communal, and private uses of rangeland have been common. For example, before the 1950s, in the tsowa system, the land was owned by multiple actors with changing power relationships over its use and access. The tsowa system, was an important social structure comprised of the interdependent relationship between the monastery, tribal leaders, and their members, and had played a crucial role in rangeland governance before the 1950s. Then, from the late 1950s to the early 1980s, the land and the means of production were under the control of State collectives, although private ownership and customary practices continued to remain to some degree.
However, since the 1980s, China’s policies on rangeland governance have been based on the market. This is true, irrespective of whether the goal is to revitalise rural areas, improve the environment, or strengthen private property rights. Through these policies, the State has been able to provide incentives for changing how the land is used. This assumes that there is a stable, controlled form of property with clear patterns of ownership.
This article is from PASTRES, a research programme that aims to learn from pastoralists about responding to uncertainty and resilience, with lessons for global challenges. PASTRES is co-hosted by IDS.
