Rural revitalization stands as a current development strategy strongly advocated by the government, aimed at fostering rural economic development and improving the livelihood of rural residents. Central to this process is the active participation of the social elite, recognized as a major driving force behind rural revitalization efforts. Through a comprehensive literature review, this article groundbreakingly identifies three models of social elite involvement in Chinas rural revitalization: government elite-led, capital elite-led, and intellectual elite-led. Employing a comparative case study approach focusing on three villages in Shunde (Qingtian Village, Fengjian Village, and Gulang Village), each representing one of the aforementioned models, this article conducted extensive field studies and in-depth interviews. By doing so, it aims to examine the strengths and weaknesses of each model, as well as the challenges they encounter. Ultimately, the study endeavors to uncover a locally sustainable model of social elite involvement that best suits the needs of the local community, thereby promoting greater achievements in the pursuit of rural revitalization.
Tao et al. (Tue,) studied this question.