Interstate Relations, Perceptions, and Power Balance: Explaining China’s Policies Toward Ethnic Groups, 1949–1965

What is it about?

Why do multi-ethnic states treat various ethnic groups differently? How do ethnic groups respond to these state policies? We argue that interstate relations and ethnic group perceptions about the relative strength of competing states are important—but neglected—factors in accounting for the variation in state-minority relations. In particular, whether an ethnic group is perceived as having an external patron matters a great deal for the host state’s treatment of the group. If the external patron of the ethnic group is an enemy of the host state, then repression is likely. If it is an ally then accommodation ensues. Given the existence of an external patron, an ethnic group’s response to a host state's policies depends on the perceptions about the relative strength of the external patron vis-à-vis the host state and whether the support is originating from an enemy or an ally of the host state. In this paper we are testing this theoretical framework on state-minority relations in the Chinese context. We present five configurations and elucidate our framework on eighteen largest ethnic groups in China, from 1949 to 1965 tracing the Chinese government’s policies toward these groups and examine how each group responded to these various nation-building policies.

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