In the aftermath of the 1978 reforms that created a market economy and diversified interests and social life, new institutions and organizations outside of the state system increased dramatically in number, size and influence. These organizations, which barely existed before the reforms began in the late 1970s, carry out many social, economic and cultural tasks neglected by the government.

This work analyzes the development of Chinese non-governmental and non profit organizations form the late 1970s to the present day. In it Quisha Ma makes sense of the two overarching questions crucial to understanding the development of the NGOs: First, is it possible under China's one-party state for non-governmental organizations to thrive and play important economic, social and political functions? Second, are NGOs facilitating the formation of a civil society in China?