Gated Communities and Market-Dominated Governance in Urban China

Approximately 300,000 gated communities (GCs) are distributed across urban China, presenting challenges to Chinese urban governance. Previous studies show interest in the relationship of GCs and security maintenance, and the role of GCs in the formation of the civil society. However, empirical investigations lacked testing of theory or hypothesis. A survey with 1,781 household questionnaires was conducted to find whether GCs are associated with residents’ security and community consciousness. The “convenience of life” rather than “safety” is the most important factor for residents’ choice of living in China. One possible reason is that the universalization of GCs has led to a lack of perceived security for residents. Further, differences in group consciousness and behavior choice were found between gated and open communities, and the homeowners’ concern for public affairs and participation is obviously insufficient with self-interest characteristics. Thus, it is worth mentioning that a GC is more of a new residential form rather than a space of civil society in China. This is due to the fact that marketization without effective constraints does not bring about the differentiation of social organization, as expected by liberal theorists, but rather creates a form of market hegemony in GCs, which results in the suppression of the development of social organization.