转型背景下的收入差距与社会信任

Income Disparity and Social Trust under the Background of Transition

基于CFPS(2014)微观调查数据,研究了收入差距与社会信任之间的关系。结果表明:一方面,收入差距的扩大显著地降低了居民社会信任水平,基尼系数每增加1单位,平均而言社会信任水平下降27.4%;另一方面,收入差距对社会信任水平的不利影响是“关系依存”的。关系网络越是紧密的群体,收入差距对其信任水平的不利影响越小;关系网络越是松散的群体,收入差距对其信任水平的破坏效应越大。相对于农村而言,城镇收入差距扩大对社会信任水平的不利影响相对更大。为提高转型期社会信任水平,不仅要进一步深化收入分配制度改革降低收入差距,更要重视“关系网络”的软环境建设,实现社会资本的可持续积累。

This paper examines the relationship between income disparity and social trust in transitional China by using CFPS 2014 data set.The empirical results show that on one hand,increasing inequality significantly decreases the level of social trust among residents in China,one unit increase of Gini index leading to 27.4%decline of the level of trust on average.On the other hand,the negative impact of inequality on social trust displays“relation-reliance”,the closer social networks are,the less negative effects are,and vice versa.Compared to rural areas,the increasing disparity has a more substantial impact on urban residents'social trust.In order to increase the level of trust among social members,reform of the distribution system in the transitional period should be intensified to narrow the income inequality,and the more important thing is to focus on the soft environment construction of“relation networks”to realize the sustainable accumulation of social capital.