Autonomy under Autocracy: Autonomy of the Folk in the City Management of Qing Dynasty-Focusing on the Ba Sheng Guild Hall of Chongqing

Folk organizations exist in both Chinese and western cities. However, in China, even in the mid and late 19th century, the city management was mainly done by the government. Folk organizations like Guild Hall, though took part, were under the control of the government. Such kind of autonomy was in essence the autonomy under autocracy, and had a world of difference with the "city autonomy" in the west.