Corruption or Social Capital? Tact and the Performance of Guanxi in Market Socialist China

This chapter argues that situated performance and the interpretations of others influence whether particular actions and relationships come to be perceived and labeled as corrupt or not. It explores that the definition of corruption cannot be restricted to legal definitions, but also has to take account of contested moral evaluations. The chapter concentrates on guanxi practices that might be defined as corrupt, but which participants would prefer to have seen as legitimate, such as the exchange of gifts and favors. It illustrates the tactful management of morally ambivalent demands, and discusses more widely the significance of tact in social interaction. The chapter draws upon research conducted at what could be considered the People's Republic of China's (PRC's) two opposite poles: Guangdong in China's far south, and Heilongjiang in its far north. Their geographic difference is mirrored in their divergent experiences in market reform.