Housing inequality in urban China: the heritage of socialist institutional arrangements

Abstract With the development of the market economy in China, does the effect of the original socialist institutional arrangements on social inequality fade? We examine this issue by considering the effect of people’s positions in the work unit system and their socioeconomic status on patterns of ho...

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Main Authors: Changchun Fang, John Iceland
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2018-09-01
Series:The Journal of Chinese Sociology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40711-018-0082-9
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author Changchun Fang
John Iceland
author_facet Changchun Fang
John Iceland
author_sort Changchun Fang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract With the development of the market economy in China, does the effect of the original socialist institutional arrangements on social inequality fade? We examine this issue by considering the effect of people’s positions in the work unit system and their socioeconomic status on patterns of housing inequality in urban China. Using individual-level data from the 2007 Household Survey on the Housing Conditions of Urban Residents in Nanjing, China, we find that although people’s socioeconomic status (measured by household income and householder’s education) has become very important in shaping people’s housing outcomes in urban China, housing inequality is also determined to some extent by their position in the work unit system—such as being employed in various units within the state sector—before and during the housing reform process. The pattern of housing inequality in urban China indicates that the impact of socialist institutional arrangements on social inequality can still be found in market transition societies even years after the market transition has occurred.
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spelling doaj.art-6486b75828424219966d5f3711113ee02022-12-22T02:39:55ZengSpringerOpenThe Journal of Chinese Sociology2198-26352018-09-015111910.1186/s40711-018-0082-9Housing inequality in urban China: the heritage of socialist institutional arrangementsChangchun Fang0John Iceland1Department of Sociology, Nanjing UniversityDepartment of Sociology and Criminology, Penn State UniversityAbstract With the development of the market economy in China, does the effect of the original socialist institutional arrangements on social inequality fade? We examine this issue by considering the effect of people’s positions in the work unit system and their socioeconomic status on patterns of housing inequality in urban China. Using individual-level data from the 2007 Household Survey on the Housing Conditions of Urban Residents in Nanjing, China, we find that although people’s socioeconomic status (measured by household income and householder’s education) has become very important in shaping people’s housing outcomes in urban China, housing inequality is also determined to some extent by their position in the work unit system—such as being employed in various units within the state sector—before and during the housing reform process. The pattern of housing inequality in urban China indicates that the impact of socialist institutional arrangements on social inequality can still be found in market transition societies even years after the market transition has occurred.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40711-018-0082-9Housing inequalitySocialist institutional arrangementsWork unit systemChinaMarket transition
spellingShingle Changchun Fang
John Iceland
Housing inequality in urban China: the heritage of socialist institutional arrangements
The Journal of Chinese Sociology
Housing inequality
Socialist institutional arrangements
Work unit system
China
Market transition
title Housing inequality in urban China: the heritage of socialist institutional arrangements
title_full Housing inequality in urban China: the heritage of socialist institutional arrangements
title_fullStr Housing inequality in urban China: the heritage of socialist institutional arrangements
title_full_unstemmed Housing inequality in urban China: the heritage of socialist institutional arrangements
title_short Housing inequality in urban China: the heritage of socialist institutional arrangements
title_sort housing inequality in urban china the heritage of socialist institutional arrangements
topic Housing inequality
Socialist institutional arrangements
Work unit system
China
Market transition
url http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40711-018-0082-9
work_keys_str_mv AT changchunfang housinginequalityinurbanchinatheheritageofsocialistinstitutionalarrangements
AT johniceland housinginequalityinurbanchinatheheritageofsocialistinstitutionalarrangements