Abstract
This paper examines the relief work of a faith-based organization (FBO)—Tzu-Chi (Buddhist Tzu-Chi Compassion Relief Organization) in China as a response to the Malaysia Airlines MH370 incident. The study first shows that crises facilitate a synergetic relationship of co-production for social services among states, corporate enterprises, and FBOs. FBOs deliver services that states and corporate enterprises cannot easily provide. This case-study shows how a FBO derives strength from its transnational networks, moral teachings, and compliant political attitude toward the government. The findings underscore the lack of discussion on FBOs in the Chinese civil society literature. Furthermore, they contribute to the understanding of how FBOs may benefit state welfare provisions following a 2012 policy shift in which religion was encouraged to participate in social provision.
Résumé
Cet article examine le travail de secours d’une organisation confessionnelle, Tzu-Chi (organisation bouddhiste de secours compatissant Tzu-Chi), en Chine, comme une mesure prise face à l’incident du MH370 Malaysia Airlines. L’étude montre tout d’abord que les crises facilitent une relation synergique de coproduction pour les services sociaux entre les États, les sociétés et les organisations confessionnelles. Les organisations confessionnelles offrent des services que les États et les sociétés commerciales ne peuvent pas fournir facilement. Cette étude de cas montre comment une organisation confessionnelle tire sa force de ses réseaux internationaux, des enseignements moraux et d’une attitude politique conciliante envers le gouvernement. Les résultats soulignent l’absence de débat sur les organisations confessionnelles dans la littérature de la société civile chinoise. De plus, ils contribuent à la compréhension de la façon dont les organisations confessionnelles peuvent bénéficier des dispositions de protection de l’État à la suite d’un changement de politique en 2012 dans laquelle la religion a été encouragée à participer aux prestations sociales.
Zusammenfassung
Dieser Beitrag untersucht die Hilfeleistungen der glaubensbasierten Organisation Tzu-Chi (Buddhistische Tzu-Chi-Hilfsorganisation) in China nach dem Unglück von Malaysia-Airlines-Flug MH370. Die Studie zeigt zunächst, dass Krisen eine synergetische Beziehung einer Gemeinschaftsproduktion für soziale Dienstleistungen zwischen Staaten, Wirtschaftsunternehmen und glaubensbasierten Organisationen ermöglichen. Glaubensbasierte Organisationen stellen Dienstleistungen bereit, welche von Staaten und Wirtschaftsunternehmen nicht problemlos angeboten werden können. Diese Fallstudie zeigt, wie die transnationalen Netzwerke, die moralischen Lehren und die konforme politische Einstellung gegenüber der Regierung eine glaubensbasierte Organisation stärken. Die Ergebnisse unterstreichen den Mangel an Diskussionen über glaubensbasierte Organisationen in der chinesischen Literatur zur Bürgergesellschaft. Darüber hinaus tragen sie zu dem Verständnis bei, wie glaubensbasierte Organisationen nach einem politschen Wandel 2012, im Zuge dessen der religiöse Sektor aufgefordert wurde, sich an der Bereitstellung sozialer Dienstleistungen zu beteiligen, staatlichen Sozialleistungen von Nutzen sein können.
Resumen
El presente documento examina las labores de ayuda de una organización confesional (FBO)—Tzu-Chi (Organización Budista de Ayuda y Compasión Tzu-Chi) en China como respuesta al incidente del MH370 de Malaysia Airlines. El estudio muestra en primer lugar que las crisis facilitan una relación sinérgica de coproducción de servicios sociales entre los estados, las empresas corporativas y las organizaciones confesionales. Las organizaciones confesionales entregan servicios que los estados y las empresas corporativas no pueden proporcionar fácilmente. El presente estudio de caso muestra cómo una organización confesional extrae fortaleza de sus redes transnacionales, enseñanzas morales y una actitud política sumisa hacia el gobierno. Los hallazgos subrayan la falta de debate en las organizaciones confesionales en el material publicado sobre la sociedad civil china. Asimismo, contribuyen a la comprensión de cómo las organizaciones confesionales pueden beneficiarse de las provisiones estatales en materia de bienestar tras un cambio de política en 2012 en el que se alentó a la religión a participar en la provisión de servicios sociales.
摘要
这篇文章分析了在马来西亚航空MH370事件后,中国一个信仰组织——慈济(佛教慈济慈善事业组织)的救助工作。研究首先表明了,灾难促进了政府、公司企业和信仰组织提供社会服务活动的协同关系。信仰组织可以提供政府和企业不易提供的一些服务。这项案例分析阐述了信仰组织如何从其跨国关系网、道德说教以及对政府的兼容态度之中获取力量。这些研究结果强调了在中国公民社会文献当中对于信仰组织论述的匮乏。另外,这些研究分析了在2012年宗教被鼓励参与社会服务这一政策变更之后,信仰组织应如何为国家福利提供有益帮助。
ملخص
يفحص هذا البحث أعمال الإغاثة للمنظمة العقائدية(FBO) —هيئة إغاثة الرحمة البوذية (Tzu-Chi) في الصين كرد فعل على حادث خطوط ماليزيا الجوية (MH370). تظهر الدراسة أولا أن الأزمات تسهل علاقة التآزرللإنتاج المشترك للخدمات الاجتماعية بين الدول ٬المؤسسات ٬الشركات ٬المنظمات الدينية. المنظمات الدينية تقدم خدمات التي الدول ومؤسسات الشركات لا يمكن أن تقدمها بسهولة. تظهر هذه الدراسة للحالة كيف تستمد المنظمة التي تقوم على الإيمان القوة من شبكاتها عبر الوطنية، تعاليم أخلاقية وموقف سياسي متوافق تجاه الحكومة. النتائج تؤكد عدم وجود مناقشة بشأن المنظمات الدينية في أدبيات المجتمع المدني الصيني. علاوة على ذلك، إنها تسهم في فهم كيف يمكن للمنظمات الدينية أن تفيد أحكام دولة الرفاهية بإتباع التحول في سياسة 2012 التي فيها تم تشجيع الدين على المشاركة في توفيرالإحتياجات الأساسية التي يجب أن يقدمها المجتمع.
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Notes
Six departments announced a joint statement entitled “Opinion on Encouraging and Regulating the Engagement of Religion in Pubic Goods and Charitable Activities” (guanyu guli he guifan zongjiaojie congshi gongyicishan huodong de yijian) in June 2012. These six departments include the State Administration for Religious Affairs (ARA), United Front Work Department, National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Civil Affairs, Ministry of Finance, and State Administration of Taxation. See http://www.chinatax.gov.cn/n8136506/n8136563/n8193451/n11819034/n11819393/11986711.html.
See Huang (2009) for the most comprehensive current academic account of the organization of Tzu-Chi from an anthropological angle. Madsen (2007) provides some details about the Tzu-Chi and how it contributes the democracy in Taiwan. For a comprehensive review of Buddhist development in Taiwan (see Jones 1999).
The number is based on the official report from Chinese government. See http://www.xinhuanet.com/world/2014mahang/.
They are (1) disaster relief; (2) disability welfare; (3) child and elderly care; (4) poverty relief; (5) schooling; (6) medical services; (7) environmental protection; (8) social and public construction; and (9) other public charities and philanthropic activities in which religious followers can play an active role.
Saich (2008, p. 193).
Saich (2008) examines the provision of public goods in China following the 1978 reforms. His observation echoes what Davis (1989) has argued that decollectivization decreases the provision of public goods while the marketization cannot provide the needed services. He further discusses the limited role of the Chinese state in the provision of public goods and this provides the opportunity for the expansion of nonstate actors in service provision.
See it global website, http://tw.tzuchi.org/en/.
The individually-run non-enterprise units are an official category of civil organizations. It is similar to the idea of nonprofit organizations in which profits are non-distributable to its managers.
Deng, “Why we do not see the influence of grassroots NGOs?,” http://www.juanzhu.gov.cn/fsm/sites/newmain/preview1.jsp?ColumnID=640&TID=20140311101057322518437.
See Tao Yong, “Survey on Chinese Charity Donation” (Zhong Guo Cishan Juankuan Diaocha), http://www.21ccom.net/articles/zgyj/gqmq/article_2013121196894.html.
See “Survey on Chinese Citizen’s Charity Attitude” (Zhongguo Gongmin Cishan Taidu Diaocha), http://www.people.com.cn/32306/355718/365587/index.html.
The first author’s study on the welfare state formation and the emergence of new religious movements in Taiwan suggests that the reason for the large amount of religious donations is that the public welfare expenditure could be kept at a very low standard. The ratio of public welfare expenditure to GDP was typically less than 2 % until 1994 when the government passed universal healthcare. Religious donations in Taiwan roughly equal one-third of the public welfare expenditure.
The report here is based on the first author’s personal participant observation in the Bannda Aceh, Indonesia during 3 weeks in March 2006.
Tzu-Chi and Malaysia Airlines signed the memo of collaboration during air accidents in 2007. The Emergency Management Center of the company has invited Tzu-Chi to attend the training programs and seminars so that if accidents happen in the future both sides can come to a consensus instantly and mobilize resources for humanitarian relief works.
Source: Tzu-Chi 2012 yearbook and the final report to ARA 2012.
Current studies on the Tzu-Chi movement are focused on its leadership and its gendered nature. See Huang (2009) for an anthropological account. However, research on the implications of the rise of this movement from a social organizational perspective is still lacking.
Laliberté et al. (2011) have provided a recent useful account on the old and new models of religious philanthropy in Chinese history. They also mentioned Buddhist temples including the Hanshan Temple in organizing the so-called cishan caoci, or charity super markets. However, most of these Buddhist temples, as they argue, are operated locally and, as Saich (2008) suggests that they rely on support from the government.
For example, Foguang shan (Buddhist Light Mountain) is an often mentioned and compared Buddhist organization to Tzu-Chi. See Chandler (2004). A more comparable case to Tzu-Chi is Dao-Yuan—a sectarian popular religious organization formed in the 1920s in Shandong. Dao-Yuan developed its secular charity organization called Red Swastika Society. However, its influence diminished after the CCP took control of China. See Duara (2003).
Source: Tzu-Chi Monthly, 568, March, 2014.
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Acknowledgments
The authors thank Dali Yang, William Parish, Richard Madsen, and anonymous Voluntas reviewers for helpful comments and suggestions on an earlier version of the paper. Research for this article was supported by the New Generation Chinese Scholar Program at the University of Chicago.
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Lee, C., Han, L. Faith-Based Organization and Transnational Voluntarism in China: A Case Study of the Malaysia Airline MH370 Incident. Voluntas 27, 2353–2373 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11266-014-9518-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11266-014-9518-2