Culture Matters! Clan Culture and Gender Division of Labor in Rural China

赵忠，中国人民大学劳动人事学院院长、吴玉章讲席教授、国家级领军人才；兼任《应用经济学评论》编委会副主任、Journal of Population Economics副主编。他的研究兴趣包括就业理论与政策、劳动力市场、收入分配与共同富裕、技术进步与数字经济、人力资本投资、健康与医疗的经济学分析等；他曾获得Journal of Population Economics库兹涅茨优秀论文奖、入选教育部“新世纪优秀人才支持计划”。

This paper presents evidence on whether (and how) clan culture – a hallmark of Chinese cultural history – influences the current intra-household gender division of labor in rural China. We analyze data from the China Family Panel Studies using an instrumental variable approach, and find that clan culture increases the wife’s share of hours spent on unpaid housework and decreases her share of hours spent on paid work. We conclude that clan culture can mold individuals’ preferences and beliefs, and help shape social norms regarding gender.