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Hukou Changes and Subjective Well-Being

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  • Tani, Massimiliano

    (University of New South Wales)

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 problematic, principally for lack of suitable data or measurements. Thanks to RUMiC, a new longitudinal database on China, this limitation can be overcome by exploiting exogenous changes in hukou status due to expropriation. The results support that granting an urban hukou substantially enhances subjective well-being within the household, especially for the household heads. The results complement a growing literature on subjective well-being focusing on China.

Suggested Citation

  • Tani, Massimiliano, 2015. "Hukou Changes and Subjective Well-Being," IZA Discussion Papers 9451, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp9451
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    Cited by:

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    2. Asadullah, M. Niaz & Xiao, Saizi & Yeoh, Emile, 2018. "Subjective well-being in China, 2005–2010: The role of relative income, gender, and location," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 83-101.
    3. Jason Hung, 2022. "Hukou System Influencing the Structural, Institutional Inequalities in China: The Multifaceted Disadvantages Rural Hukou Holders Face," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-18, April.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    expropriation; subjective well-being; China;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D19 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Other
    • H13 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - Economics of Eminent Domain; Expropriation; Nationalization
    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • R20 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - General

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