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Can self-employment activity contribute to ascension to urban citizenship? Evidence from rural-to-urban migrant workers in China

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  • Ning, Guangjie
  • Qi, Wei

Abstract

The ascension to urban citizenship and assimilation into urban life for rural to urban migrant workers is a pressing mission during the current process of rapid urbanization in developing China. However, the issue of how self-employed migrants, who account for up to 25 percent of total migrant workers in 2009 (Meng, 2012), acquire urban citizenship remains understudied. Using a unique sample from the 2009 Rural to Urban Migrants in China (RUMiC) survey, this paper explores whether self-employment choice contributes to migrant workers' ascension to urban citizenship and integration, and uncovers the underlying mechanisms. We find that although self-employed migrants are capable of earning a higher income, and improving their living conditions, their tendency to reside permanently in the city is not significantly different from their counterparts of wage workers. We argue that self-employed migrants, who are less covered by urban social securities and are more discriminated against by current urban household registration (Hukou) system, tend to lose faith in ascension to urban citizenship. It implies that a social security system with self-employed migrants being covered as well as an urban Hukou admission system favoring diverse human capital (especially taking into account entrepreneurship) would help accelerate the urbanization process.

Suggested Citation

  • Ning, Guangjie & Qi, Wei, 2017. "Can self-employment activity contribute to ascension to urban citizenship? Evidence from rural-to-urban migrant workers in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 219-231.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:chieco:v:45:y:2017:i:c:p:219-231
    DOI: 10.1016/j.chieco.2017.07.007
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Zhu, Chen & Lee, Chien-Chiang & Hong, Jin & Shi, Xing, 2023. "Multidimensional cultural distance and self-employment of internal migrants in China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 58-81.
    2. Zhu, Chen & Shen, Jim Huangnan & Lee, Chien-Chiang & Liu, Shouying, 2022. "Does religion belief matter to self-employment of rural elderly? Evidence from China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    3. Min Wu & Mengyun Jin & Luyao Zeng & Yihao Tian, 2022. "The Effects of Parental Migrant Work Experience on Labor Market Performance of Rural-Urban Migrants: Evidence from China," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-18, September.
    4. Lili Chen & Jiquan Peng & Yibei Zhang, 2022. "Research on the Impact of Rural Land Transfer on Non-Farm Employment of Farm Households: Evidence from Hubei Province, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-19, November.
    5. Wenyuan Liu & Ting Ren, 2021. "Family ties and employment behavior: The role of financial intermediaries," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(1), pages 48-75, February.
    6. Hu, Yun-Zhi & Xuan, Ye & Wang, Hai-Feng, 2024. "Does “son preference” affect rural floating parents’ willingness to settle in towns and cities?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 89(PB), pages 485-510.
    7. Ying Jiang & Linghan Zhang & Junyi Zhang, 2019. "Energy consumption by rural migrant workers and urban residents with a hukou in China: quality-of-life-related factors and built environment," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 99(3), pages 1431-1453, December.
    8. Juan Ming & Jiachun Liu & Zicheng Wang, 2020. "Does the Homeownership Gap Between Rural–Urban Migrants and Urban–Urban Migrants in China Vary by Income?," SAGE Open, , vol. 10(4), pages 21582440209, November.
    9. Qiang He & Xin Deng & Chuan Li & Zhongcheng Yan & Yanbin Qi, 2022. "The Impact of Rural Population Mobility on Fertility Intention under the Comprehensive Two-Child Policy: Evidence from Rural China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-17, June.

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