在这一家长式治理传统的约束下，对中国增长至关重要的改革试验和适应性改良措施往往都是在地方层面展开的，因为地方政府拥有可观的，尽管并不是确定的，改革自主权。
Within the constraints of this paternalistic approach, the experimentation and adaptation that have been so crucial to China’s growth had to be carried out by local governments, which have enjoyed considerable, albeit uncertain, authority to do so.