政治精英流動是政治社會學和比較流動研究的一個重要主題。然而，當前主流研究對中國農村基層政治精英職業流動鮮有觸及。超越精英研究中的「二元精英論」等主流分析框架，本研究嘗試從社會資本視角來解讀農村基層政治精英的流動路徑。基於筆者長時間在東北內陸農村一個典型的農業鎮（以下稱F鎮）的田野調查，本研究發現，相對於人力資本，社會資本對鎮一級幹部的職業流動的作用更顯著。本研究認為，基層政治精英的職業流動是一種多重制度因素相互作用的結果。國家制度安排、基層政府運作邏輯，及倫理本位的中國鄉土文化是影響基層政治精英職業流動的三大制度性因素。這些制度性因素相互作用，形成了基層政治精英職業流動的動力機制（Dynamics）。

The study of pathways to power is an important research topic in political sociology and comparative mobility research. However, little research has covered the career mobility of Chinese grassroots officials. Going beyond the popular frameworks, such as “elite dualism” in elites studies, I tried to identify and provide suggestions from the perspective of “social capital”. Using data from the fieldwork conducted at a township in an inland rural area in Northeast China, I found that social capital is more important and determinant than “human capital” for the recruitment and promotion of officials at a township level. Taking the approach of “Multiple Logics of Institutional Change”, I argue that the continuing importance of social capital in the career mobility of township officials in rural Northeast China is a result of the interaction of several institutional factors. Increasing economic demands and some institutional reform measures, such as open elections in rural areas, have sought to change the status-quo and decrease the reliance on social capital. However, these findings reveal that the sources of career mobility for political elites are still essentially the same, despite the dramatic change in state-peasant relations over the years.