China's Labor Force: the Role of Gender and Residence

性別與居住地在中國勞動力中所扮演的角色

Alice Goldstein ； Sidney Goldstein

《婦女與兩性學刊》 1期 (1990/01) Pp. 87-118

https://doi.org/10.6255/JWGS.1990.1.87

摘要

雖然中國大陸一向强調婦女在國家生產中的重要性，傳統的社會規範以及政策的間接作用仍然對兩性在職業結構上的差別產生很明顯的作用。但在同時，都市化程度也明顯的緩和了兩性間的差異。例如：1982年的普查資料顯示，在許多職業上鄉村的性別比例比城市高出一倍。同時在最不須要技術的工作中，婦女所佔比率也特別的高，但在城市裹，男女兩性的勞力及職業結構則比較相同。
此研究是根據中國兩個最大城市－上海與廣州的資料來印證兩性在職業及所得上的持續差異。這些差異之所以未達到更高，大部份是因為中國大陸對薪資的嚴格控制，以及在1980年代中期以前私人企業發展極受限制所致。儘管如此，都市化程度以及文化規範的雙重影響，仍對两性在勞力參與及所得之差異上産生很大的衝擊。特別値得注意的是上海在所得上的差異比廣州更嚴重。
由於城鄉的經濟改革，導致了短暫及永久的人口移動與職業變遷，也可能導致上述性別差異的改變。服務業及小型零售業（自由市場）或小型、低技術性的製造業創立了新的工作機會，也促進了更多婦女勞力的參與。然而由於這些都是低技術的職業，因此它們對於兩性所得分配的均等或者在婦女技術的加强上起不了作用。此外，個人企業為了適應前述之經濟改革，在僱工時又恢復了以往性別歧視的態度，這也可能影響到婦女工作機會之獲得。
毫無疑問的，由於政府政策及現代化過程，已使中國女性有了很大的進步，可是從統計資料中，我們仍可看出有不少人相信某些經濟活動較適合男性，某些則適台女性，同時女性很難獲得高所得的職位。但是由於現代化的持續及教育與一胎化的普及（如果這唯一的孩子又是獨生女的話，或許會特別具影響力）所造成的影響，我們可以預期這些差異將逐漸縮小。然而，參考已開發國家的經驗，我們可以預料，這些差距極不可能在短期間內消失。

並列摘要

Although the People's Republic of China emphasizes the importance of women in national production, traditional norms as well as the indirect effects of policies have perpetuated sharp differences in the occupational structure of men and women. At the same time, level of urbanization clearly mitigates some of the differences. Data from the 1982 census indicate, for example, that for many occupations, sex ratios in rural areas are twice as high as in cities. Women are also overrepresented in those areas requiring the lowest levels of skills. In cities, male and female labor force and occupational patterns tend to be more similar.
Information from surveys in two of China's largest cities, Shanghai and Guangzhou, documents the continued existence of gender differences in occupation and income. That the differences are not greater is in large measure the result of strict State control of wages and the extremely limited opportunities until the mid-1980s of engaging in private enterprise. Nonetheless, both levels of urbanization and cultural norms continue to have a strong impact on gender differences in labor force participation and income. Of particular interest are the sharper differentials in income in Shanghai compared to Guangzhou.
These gender differences may change as a result of the rural and urban economic reforms which are increasing the temporary and permanent population mobility and job changes. The new opportunities for work in service and petty retail trade (free markets) or in small, low technology manufacturing enterprises have promoted greater female participation in the labor force. Since these are low-skilled jobs, however, they are not likely to lead to more equitable distribution of income or an increase in women's skills. Furthermore, the flexibility that the reforms give to individual enterprises in managing hiring practices means that traditional discrimination against women workers may again be a factor in determining job opportunities.
There is no doubt that Chinese women have made great progress as a result of both official policy and the modernization process. On the other hand, the data indicate that beliefs are still prevalent that some activities are more suitable to men and others to women, and that women are less likely to achieve high status(income)positions. As modernization proceeds, however, and as education and the impact of the one child family becomes more widespread (the only-child daughter may be particularly influential), we would expect some of these differentials to narrow. Based on the experience of more developed nations it is highly unlikely, however, that they will disappear soon.

並列關鍵字

Labor force ； Gender ； Urbanization ； Occupation ； China ； Income Differentials