Abstract: The operating mechanism of rural society is subject to the macro structural factors. Faced with political changes, rural organizations must respond effectively by adjusting their own operational logic. The developmental system requires the rural authorities have the ability to integrate the rural order and promote the social and economic development. Under the “political tournament” mode, the change of the performance appraisal mode has a great influence on the shaping of the village authority. In the process of responding to the political changes, the rural society has gradually developed a variety of governance models, but their governance performances are extremely different. The results show that, in the context of institutional transformation, some villages have gradually evolved a kind of authoritative organizational structure with strong development-orientation; under its guidance, a dual effect of both integrating rural order and promoting social and economic development can be achieved, thus showing a higher social governance performance.

Key words: political changes; developmental authority structure; social governance; rural governance