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Hukou Changes and Subjective Well-Being in China

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  • Massimiliano Tani

    (University of New South Wales (Canberra) and IZA
    University of New South Wales (Canberra))

Abstract

The literature on subjective well-being has highlighted the negative effects associated with the restrictions and inequality imposed by the hukou system on China’s rural population. However, quantifying the cost of holding a rural hukou has generally been challenging because it can reflect unobserved individual characteristics related to educational and occupational choices. Thanks to RUMiC, a new longitudinal database on China, this limitation can be overcome by exploiting exogenous changes in hukou status due to land expropriation. The results support that receiving an urban hukou substantially enhances subjective well-being within the household, especially for males. The results complement a growing literature on subjective well-being focusing on China.

Suggested Citation

  • Massimiliano Tani, 2017. "Hukou Changes and Subjective Well-Being in China," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 132(1), pages 47-61, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:132:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1007_s11205-016-1247-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-016-1247-z
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    Cited by:

    1. Marta Bengoa & Christopher Rick, 2020. "Chinese Hukou Policy and Rural-to-Urban Migrants’ Health: Evidence from Matching Methods," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 46(2), pages 224-259, April.
    2. Prakash, Kushneel & Smyth, Russell, 2019. "‘The quintessential Chinese dream’? Homeownership and the subjective wellbeing of China's next generation," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    3. Lie Ma & Qiu Xie & Shiying Shi & Xiaosu Ye & Aifeng Zhao, 2017. "Regional Maldistribution of China’s Hospitals Based on Their Structural System," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-18, June.
    4. Kuo Zhang & Jipeng Pei & Shu Wang & Karlis Rokpelnis & Xiao Yu, 2022. "Life Satisfaction in China, 2010–2018: Trends and Unique Determinants," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(4), pages 2311-2348, August.
    5. Siddique Abu Bakkar, 2020. "Identity-based Earning Discrimination among Chinese People," IZA Journal of Development and Migration, Sciendo & Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 11(1), pages 1-42, January.
    6. Xiaoting Zheng & Jiayue Chen & Yipeng Li, 2021. "The association between charitable giving and happiness: Evidence from the Chinese General Social Survey," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 55(6), pages 2103-2138, December.
    7. Min Yang & Martin Dijst & Marco Helbich, 2018. "Mental Health among Migrants in Shenzhen, China: Does it Matter Whether the Migrant Population is Identified by Hukou or Birthplace?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-11, November.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Subjective well-being; Expropriation; China;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty

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