Different Paths Lead to the Same Success: Examining Design Principles in Grassland Collective Governance in China

Jianing Li, Zhentong Hu (), Di Liu and Leshan Jin
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Jianing Li: College of Humanities and Development Studies, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
Zhentong Hu: College of Humanities and Development Studies, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
Di Liu: Rural Development Institute Chinese Academy of Social Science, Beijing 100732, China
Leshan Jin: College of Humanities and Development Studies, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China

Land, 2024, vol. 13, issue 12, 1-19

Abstract: Collective action remains a fundamental approach to governing common pool resources, and Ostrom’s design principles (DPs) have been widely used for analyzing such governance. However, grasslands, as typical common pool resources, have received limited attention within this framework in China. Based on the village-level survey data in Yushu, Qinghai, we utilized DPs as fuzzy sets to discern nuances among cases and identify necessary and sufficient conditions for successful collective governance using the fsQCA method. Our findings are as follows: (i) Diverse combinations of institutional rules can lead to favorable collective governance outcomes. Achieving good outcomes requires a comprehensive approach that encompasses rules, rule enforcement, and rule-making arenas. (ii) Congruence with local conditions (DP2) emerges as a pivotal and foundational condition in collective grassland governance. Therefore, it is crucial to formulate strategic governance rules that adapt to local realities and capitalize on regional advantages to ensure long-term success. (iii) The establishment of ecological husbandry cooperatives is in line with local realities and can help achieve high grassland governance performance. The improvement in ecological, economic, and social benefits brought about by cooperatives constitutes a crucial factor for promoting herders’ active involvement in the collective management of grasslands.

Keywords: collective governance; design principles (DPs); grassland; collective action; fsQCA (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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