1st Edition

Population and Labour Market Policies in China’s Reform Process

By Sun Wenkai Copyright 2022
    240 Pages 3 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    240 Pages 3 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    This book investigates the population and labour management reforms implemented since the reform and opening up of China in the early 1980s, giving insights into the economic and social implications of these reforms and future prospects for population governance.

    The study examines three major components of China’s population management strategy in terms of its history and implementation: the household registration (Hukou) system, family planning policy, and the labour market system. Grounded in both qualitative and quantitative analysis, key metrics are introduced to better understand the Hukou system on the one hand while exploring the socio-economic issues arising from the policy, including the economic behaviour or residents, fertility, care of older people, entrepreneurship, institutional premiums and gender wage differentials. Based on these investigations, the author advances constructive suggestions to inform policymaking, aiming to deepen market-oriented reform of the economic system and improve social welfare in China.
    The title will be a good reference for academics, students and policy makers interested in social policy, labour economics and especially China’s population and labour policy and Chinese economy and society.

    Part I: Discussion of Issues Related to the Hukou System  1. Historical Evolution, Present Situation and Problems of the Hukou System  2. Hukou Liberalization Metrics and Influencing Factors  3. Hukou System Reform and Residents' Economic Behavior  4. Thoughts on Promoting Hukou Reform in Large Cities  5. Urban Development in the Context of Hukou System Reform  Part II: Discussion of Issues Related to Family Planning Policy  6. History of Family Planning Policy and Current Debate  7. Are People Willing to Have More Children?  8. Family Planning and Entrepreneurship  9. Family Planning and Old-Age Care  Part III: Discussion of Issues Related to the Labour Market  10. Institutional Premiums in the Labour Market  11. Gender Wage Differentials and Policy Discussion  12. Evaluation of Three Recent Policies

    Biography

    Sun Wenkai is Professor in the School of Economics at Renmin University of China and Associate Dean of the National Institute of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME) at Renmin University of China. His main research areas include labour economics, development economics and SME development in China.