Analysis On The Role Of Farmer Cooperatives In China

Clarification of the role of farmer cooperatives is very important, for it’s the prerequisite to conduct relative research and formulate pertinent policies. Although this clarification is at the risk of simplifying intricate problems and idealizing practical conditions because the roles of farmer cooperatives are diverse and complex in the real world, it is valuable and essential. Based on the field study about farmer cooperatives in several areas of China and the study of relative literature home and abroad, this thesis analyzes the core role of the current farmer cooperatives in China. First, the thesis compares the various roles of farmer cooperatives in different periods of history and concludes that the role of farmer cooperatives depends on the period it existed. Thus, the judgment of the current farmer cooperatives and the formulation of relative policies nowadays should base on the current role of the farmer cooperatives. If the roles of farmer cooperatives in different periods are confused, those judgment and policies will not deliver intended rewards, or even exacerbate the very problems they are supposed to cure. Second, the thesis discusses several common problems faced by those stakeholders who are named "external forces" in this thesis and find that these problems stem from the distortion of core role of the current farmer cooperatives by those external forces. Third, compared with the distortion by the external forces, the thesis analyzes the effort made by the“internal forces”, that is the farmers who are members of farmer cooperatives and devote themselves to the exploration of the way to the development of farmer cooperatives. Their exploration shows that the current farmer cooperatives in China is a way to assist farmers in their adaption to the commodity relations. Based on the analysis mentioned above, the thesis concludes that the core role of the current farmer cooperatives in China is a way to assist farmers in their adaption to the commodity relations. However, some of the external forces bring some dilemma to the farmer cooperatives in their study or policy making because of their special aim or interests. The dilemma stems from the distortion of the core role of farmer cooperatives. On the other hand, various exploration initiated by those internal forces deliver the rewards of clarifying the role of the farmer cooperatives. Taking into account the core role of the current farmer cooperatives in China, the thesis hold that those exploration by the internal forces are reasonable and should be accepted and encouraged by other stakeholders.