Abstract: The theory of gradual institutional change represents a new development in historical institutionalism. This theory advocates “moving beyond the focus on temporal boundaries” and seeks to identify causal explanatory mechanisms for institutional change through long-term process analysis. This shift in the analysis of temporal elements within historical institutionalism aims to construct a reliable causal framework for explaining subtle, incremental institutional changes such as drift, conversion, layering, and displacement by uncovering their deeper interconnections. This theory, when explaining the causal mechanisms behind these four types of institutional change, highlights the suppliers and implementers of institutions as essential factors directly influencing institutional outcomes. The long-term process analysis and the focus on actors in the theory of gradual institutional change together form a unique analytical perspective namely the history of actors. This perspective shares a theoretical affinity with China's stable and efficient institutional practices over more than 40 years of reform and opening-up, as well as the dominant role of the Party and the state in institutional transformation. However, this affinity may be limited by the inherent shortcomings of gradual institutional change theory and the distinctive institutional characteristics of China.

Key words: gradual institutional change, the history of actors, applicability, limitations