Expedient Choice: the Practical Logic of Rural Social Dispute Settlement——A Case of Land Disputes in North China

Following Weber's Sociology of law tradition, this paper discusses the process and mechanism of rural social dispute settlement and legal practice in the transition period. There are several ways and rules of dispute resolution in rural society, for the convenience of the people to choose and use. The judicial way has a certain progress, but because of the internal and external limitations, does not enjoy a priority or a position of authority. Coexistence of multiple rules competing with each other, jointly promotes the settlement of disputes, but also plants a potential crisis.