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Does having a cadre parent pay? Evidence from the first job offers of Chinese college graduates

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  • Li, Hongbin
  • Meng, Lingsheng
  • Shi, Xinzheng
  • Wu, Binzhen

Abstract

We estimate the wage premium associated with having a cadre parent in China using a recent survey of college graduates carried out by the authors. The wage premium of having a cadre parent is 15%, and this premium cannot be explained by other observables such as college entrance exam scores, quality of colleges and majors, a full set of college human capital attributes, and job characteristics. These results suggest that the remaining premium could be the true wage premium of having a cadre parent.

Suggested Citation

  • Li, Hongbin & Meng, Lingsheng & Shi, Xinzheng & Wu, Binzhen, 2012. "Does having a cadre parent pay? Evidence from the first job offers of Chinese college graduates," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 99(2), pages 513-520.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:deveco:v:99:y:2012:i:2:p:513-520
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2012.06.005
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    9. Markussen, Thomas & Ngo, Quang-Thanh, 2019. "Economic and non-economic returns to communist party membership in Vietnam," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 370-384.
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    14. Blum, Matthias & de Bromhead, Alan, 2019. "Rise and fall in the Third Reich: Social advancement and Nazi membership," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Inter-generational transfer; Political status; College education; China;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • I25 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Economic Development
    • J62 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Job, Occupational and Intergenerational Mobility; Promotion
    • P36 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist Institutions and Their Transitions - - - Consumer Economics; Health; Education and Training; Welfare, Income, Wealth, and Poverty

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