Development and contradictions of Wuhan's public housing system

Abstract

This thesis examines the process and reasons behind Wuhana??s public housing reform. It employs a political economy framework to interpret the development of Wuhana??s public housing policy. Based on a case study, qualitative interviews with municipal officials, scholars, developers, workers and affected residents were conducted. The main finding is that rent-seeking behavior tends to reinforce certain institutions or develop new institutions. The implication is that reforms need to be fine-tuned to align local incentives.