Work unit

A work unit or danwei is the place of employment within the People's Republic of China. Until the Deng Xiaoping reforms, the danwei was also the principle means of social control for workers within the People's Republic. The work unit provided living quarters and food, and had extraordinary control over people's lives, having the ability to approve or disapprove travel.

The social control of the work unit diminished considerably after the Deng reforms in that people could now leave their jobs and work for someone else. In addition, most of the state owned enterprises in which the work units existed were very unprofitable, and were slowly closed by the government.

The approvals necessary by the work unit gradually became annoying formalities and were mostly ended completely by the early 21st century. For example, in 2003, it became possible to marry or divorce someone without needing authorization from the work unit.