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Resource allocation and <i>Hukou</i> status conversion : inequality under China's <i>Hukou</i> system

The <i>Hukou</i> system has been a basic institution in Chinese society for several decades. My thesis explores whether, after nearly 30 years of reform and opening up in China, this system still plays a role in individuals lives and if so, what is this role? This study uses qualitative data from policy documents and quantitative data from the China General Social Survey 2003 to examine differences in income and access to welfare services among rural and urban <i>Hukou</i> holders and in <i>Hukou</i> status conversion both before and since the reform era and point out that the <i>Hukou</i> system contributes to inequality in individuals life chances in two dimensions: resource allocation and <i>Hukou</i> status conversion. The findings show that urban residents are advantaged in resource allocation before and in the reform era; the control mechanism of quota and policy for <i>Hukou</i> status conversion from rural to urban in the pre-reform era was replaced by the locally defined but nationally enforced entry conditions or requirements in reform era. The talented people, the CCP members, the people who have permanent jobs in urban areas, and the people whose family members hold urban Hukou are more likely now to overcome the <i>Hukou</i>-based control. The <i>Hukou</i>-based migration control continues on a localized basis and excludes the majority of rural residents from access to the rights enjoyed by urban residents. The findings of this thesis indicate that the consequences of the Hukou system continue today and additional reform still needs to be introduced.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:SSU.etd-10282009-130851
Date03 November 2009
CreatorsJin, Di
ContributorsZonng, Li, Zhao, Jingang, Wotherspoon, Terry
PublisherUniversity of Saskatchewan
Source SetsLibrary and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
Typetext
Formatapplication/pdf
Sourcehttp://library.usask.ca/theses/available/etd-10282009-130851/
Rightsunrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to University of Saskatchewan or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report.

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