MISSING WOMEN AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN CHINA: AN ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVE

Botao Song

《IETI Transactions on Social Sciences and Humanities》 11卷 (2020/12) Pp. 35-44

https://doi.org/10.6896/IETITSSH.202012_11.0003

摘要

A historical review of the relationship between sex ratios and structural changes in economic development in China reveals two underlying determinants influencing gender equality: the acceleration of technological advancements as the pushing force, and the process of urbanization as the pulling power. The agricultural mechanization liberated labour force from the countryside to cities and towns, where the secondary and tertiary industries attracted the migrant workers at higher rates of remuneration. A 2SLS regression is run in this paper where the agricultural mechanization rate is introduced as an instrument variable and the rate of urbanization is employed as an independent variable, significant causality is shown between urbanization and the degree of gender balance. However, the old-patterned urbanization is stagnant under the interior dual structure, and the room for rural labour migration is being limited by aging and eroded by the soaring housing price. China is stepping into a critical stage where new urbanization strategy is being implemented and new technologies need to push forward the economy sustainably as a driving engine. New technologies enable women to break out of the physiological and physical limitations, and they can play key roles in the equalization of public services to promote the new urbanization with endowments of carefulness, tenderness and patience. More diversified and flexible opportunities should be offered to women under the ＂Green Development＂ concept.

關鍵字

Missing Women ； Sex Ratio ； Economic Development