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Social Security and Sustainable Economic Growth: Based on the Perspective of Human Capital

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  • Ming Zhang

    (School of Political Science and Public Administration, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China)

  • Xiaorong Zou

    (School of Political Science and Public Administration, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China)

  • Long Sha

    (School of Political Science and Public Administration, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China)

Abstract

China’s social security expenditure has rapidly grown during the past decade, and concerns about the impact of social security on productivity and sustained economic growth have attracted attention. Based on Chinese provincial panel data over the period 2007–2016, a threshold model analysis found that the impact of social security on productivity has a “double threshold” on human capital. Using dynamic panel data models and system General Moment Method estimators also found the existence of this threshold effect: When the human capital level is low or high, social security is favorable for sustained economic growth. However, if the human capital level is at the intermediate level, the function of social security is weak. The main conclusions were still valid after we examined the robustness of our results with several methods.

Suggested Citation

  • Ming Zhang & Xiaorong Zou & Long Sha, 2019. "Social Security and Sustainable Economic Growth: Based on the Perspective of Human Capital," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-14, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:3:p:662-:d:201195
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    Cited by:

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    3. Zeeshan Ullah & Ahmad Arslan, 2022. "R&D contribution to sustainable product attributes development: The complementarity of human capital," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(5), pages 902-915, October.
    4. Yuzheng Zhang & Shirui He, 2023. "Local Government’s Land Finance Dependence and Migrants’ Settlement Intentions: Evidence from China," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-16, July.
    5. Christine Wen & Jeremy L. Wallace, 2019. "Toward Human-Centered Urbanization? Housing Ownership and Access to Social Insurance Among Migrant Households in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(13), pages 1-14, June.
    6. Urgaia R. Worku, 2022. "The Role of Endogenous Technology in Making Sustained Economic Growth in Sub‒Saharan Africa: Panel GMM and VECM Approaches," World Journal of Business and Management, Macrothink Institute, vol. 8(2), pages 1-24, December.
    7. Xiaoyu Deng & Jing Tian & Rong Chen, 2019. "Effect of Social Security System on Consumption through Income and Uncertainty: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-16, March.
    8. Hui Yang & Zeng Huang & Zhuoying Fu & Jiayou Dai & Yan Yang & Wei Wang, 2023. "Does Land Transfer Enhance the Sustainable Livelihood of Rural Households? Evidence from China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-19, August.
    9. Brahim Gaies, 2022. "Reassessing the impact of health expenditure on income growth in the face of the global sanitary crisis: the case of developing countries," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 23(9), pages 1415-1436, December.

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