Family Support or Social Support? The Role of Clan Culture

24 Pages Posted: 31 May 2017 Last revised: 6 Dec 2017

See all articles by Chuanchuan Zhang

Chuanchuan Zhang

School of Economics, Zhejiang University

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

Suggested Citation

Zhang, Chuanchuan, Family Support or Social Support? The Role of Clan Culture (December 2, 2017). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2977114 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2977114

Chuanchuan Zhang (Contact Author)

School of Economics, Zhejiang University ( email )

Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058
China

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