IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/socsci/v103y2022i5p1168-1189.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Understanding democratic perceptions and political participation among the younger generation in China's changing society: No news is good news for the Chinese government

Author

Listed:
  • Yue Yin

Abstract

Objective The main objective of this article is to explore whether the current younger generation in China has different views of democracy and political behavior from those of previous generations. Methods Using the fourth wave of the Asian Barometer Survey (ABS IV), this study conducts systematic comparisons across the generations with respect to their attitudes toward democracy and political behaviors. Results and Conclusion This study indicates that Chinese youth tend to hold substance‐based democratic conceptions, show a relatively lower level of commitment to liberal democracy, and demonstrate a higher level of satisfaction with the current situation of democratization in China than do their older counterparts. The generation of youngest adults is also less likely to turn out to participate in electoral activities and other forms of political action. These results demonstrate a generational decline in support for democracy and active political participation amid the authoritarian tendencies of China, reflecting the profound effect of early‐life political socialization on political values and behaviors.

Suggested Citation

  • Yue Yin, 2022. "Understanding democratic perceptions and political participation among the younger generation in China's changing society: No news is good news for the Chinese government," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 103(5), pages 1168-1189, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:socsci:v:103:y:2022:i:5:p:1168-1189
    DOI: 10.1111/ssqu.13189
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/ssqu.13189
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/ssqu.13189?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Haiyang Lu & Peishan Tong & Rong Zhu, 2020. "Does Internet Use Affect Netizens’ Trust in Government? Empirical Evidence from China," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 149(1), pages 167-185, May.
    2. Shuai Jin & Yingnan Joseph Zhou, 2021. "An Authoritarian Undercurrent in the Postmaterialist Tide: The Rise of Authoritarianism Among the Younger Generation in China," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 102(1), pages 90-106, January.
    3. Chen, Jie, 2013. "A Middle Class Without Democracy: Economic Growth and the Prospects for Democratization in China," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199841639.
    4. Sears, David O. & Valentino, Nicholas A., 1997. "Politics Matters: Political Events as Catalysts for Preadult Socialization," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 91(1), pages 45-65, March.
    5. John James Kennedy, 2009. "Maintaining Popular Support for the Chinese Communist Party: The Influence of Education and the State-Controlled Media," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 57, pages 517-536, October.
    6. Bratton, Michael & Mattes, Robert, 2001. "Support for Democracy in Africa: Intrinsic or Instrumental?," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 31(3), pages 447-474, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. John James Kennedy & Haruka Nagao & Hongyan Liu, 2018. "Voting and Values: Grassroots Elections in Rural and Urban China," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 6(2), pages 90-102.
    2. Ethan Kaplan & Fernando Saltiel & Sergio S. Urzúa, 2019. "Voting for Democracy: Chile's Plebiscito and the Electoral Participation of a Generation," NBER Working Papers 26440, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Evans, Geoffrey & Rose, Pauline, 2007. "Support for Democracy in Malawi: Does Schooling Matter?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 35(5), pages 904-919, May.
    4. Potrafke, Niklas & Fischer, Mira & Ursprung, Heinrich, 2013. "Does the Field of Study Influence Students' Political Attitudes?," VfS Annual Conference 2013 (Duesseldorf): Competition Policy and Regulation in a Global Economic Order 79934, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    5. Kai Jäger, 2020. "When Do Campaign Effects Persist for Years? Evidence from a Natural Experiment," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 64(4), pages 836-851, October.
    6. Konte, M., 2014. "Gender difference in support for democracy in Sub-Saharan Africa: Do social institutions matter?," MERIT Working Papers 009, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    7. Guoyao Yan & Yu Hao & Yunxia Guo & Haitao Wu, 2022. "Are environmental problems a barometer of corruption in the eyes of residents? Evidence from China," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 75(2), pages 337-361, May.
    8. Hyun Bang Shin, 2014. "Contesting speculative urbanisation and strategising discontents," City, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(4-5), pages 509-516, October.
    9. Fungáčová, Zuzana & Weill, Laurent, 2017. "Trusting banks in China," BOFIT Discussion Papers 9/2017, Bank of Finland Institute for Emerging Economies (BOFIT).
    10. Kellermann, Kim Leonie, 2021. "Trust we lost: The Treuhand experience and political behavior in the former German Democratic Republic," CIW Discussion Papers 3/2021, University of Münster, Center for Interdisciplinary Economics (CIW).
    11. Libman, Alexander & Herrmann-Pillath, Carsten & Yadav, Gaurav, 2013. "Are human rights and economic well-being substitutes? The evidence from migration patterns across the Indian states," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 139-164.
    12. Giray Gozgor, 2022. "Global Evidence on the Determinants of Public Trust in Governments during the COVID-19," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(2), pages 559-578, April.
    13. Maty Konte & Stephan Klasen, 2016. "Gender difference in support for Democracy in Sub-Saharan Africa: Do social institutions matter?," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(2), pages 55-86, April.
    14. Alexander Stoecker, 2021. "Partisanship in a Young Democracy: Evidence from Ghana," Volkswirtschaftliche Diskussionsbeiträge 193-21, Universität Siegen, Fakultät Wirtschaftswissenschaften, Wirtschaftsinformatik und Wirtschaftsrecht.
    15. Jennings, M. Kent & Stoker, Laura, 1999. "The Persistence of the Past: The Class of 1965 Turns Fifty," Institute for Social Science Research, Working Paper Series qt0pk6z5s4, Institute for Social Science Research, UCLA.
    16. Christopher Balding, 2011. "A Re-examination of the Relation between Democracy and International Trade: The Case of Africa," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2011-059, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    17. Chang, Alex Chuan-hsien, 2018. "How do Asian values constrain public support for redistribution?," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 139-150.
    18. Arnstein Aassve & Gianmarco Daniele & Marco Le Moglie, 2018. "Never Forget the First Time: The Persistent Effects of Corruption and the Rise of Populism in Italy," BAFFI CAREFIN Working Papers 1896, BAFFI CAREFIN, Centre for Applied Research on International Markets Banking Finance and Regulation, Universita' Bocconi, Milano, Italy.
    19. Fischer, Mira & Kauder, Björn & Potrafke, Niklas & Ursprung, Heinrich W., 2017. "Support for free-market policies and reforms: Does the field of study influence students' political attitudes?," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 180-197.
    20. Mawussé Komlagan Nézan Okey & Dossè Mawussi Djahini-Afawoubo, 2020. "Voting participation in Togo: the role of access to public services and confidence in public institutions," Journal of Social and Economic Development, Springer;Institute for Social and Economic Change, vol. 22(2), pages 379-400, December.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:socsci:v:103:y:2022:i:5:p:1168-1189. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=0038-4941 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.