"Chaxu Geju":The Construction of an Ideal Type as an Organizing Mechanism
Sociologist Fei Xiaotong(1992)developed the concept of Chaxu Geju-"the differential mode of association"-to depict a distinctive mode of social relationship in Chinese society.In this study,I reconstruct this concept into a sociological ideal type,with the analytical strength for interpreting and analyzing a distinctive organizing mechanism in Chinese culture.I propose that Chaxu Geju consists of three key elements:self-centered,identity-based,and differential treatment of others.I argue that chaxugeju is rooted in the traditional kinship institutions and extended to other areas in the form of generalized kinship relationships.It provides important cultural resources to dealing with interpersonal relationships in,and the organization of,Chinese Society.As an ideal type,Chaxu Geju is closely related to,and distinguished from,other key sociological concepts such as bureaucracy,bureaucratic patrimony,and family-nation isomorphism.As a result,Chaxu Geju provides an important analytical concept in comparative organizational and institutional analysis.