Family Support or Social Support? The Role of Clan Culture
24 Pages Posted: 31 May 2017 Last revised: 6 Dec 2017
Date Written: December 2, 2017
Abstract
This paper examines the impact of cultural norms on arrangements made for old-age support. Using data from a recent national household survey in China, I show that clan culture is significantly associated with a set of individual values about the purpose of childbearing. I then find that, among older people in rural China, clan culture is positively related to birth rates and the likelihood of having a son, coresidence with adult or married sons and receiving financial transfers from non-coresident children. Finally, I find a significantly negative relationship between clan culture and enrollment in social pension programs. The overall results indicate that cultural norms have a significant influence on arrangements for old-age support.
Keywords: Culture; Clan; Living arrangement; Intergenerational transfer; Social pension; China
JEL Classification: D64; H55; J13; Z13
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