Migrant Laborers in China and Their Contributions to Rural Development

This paper will look at the importance that the migrant labors in China are doing today. The main question posed in this paper is “how migrant labors in China are contributing to rural development？”. Furthermore, the paper will answer the following sub-questions： （1） Is migration an important factor in the development of rural areas？ （2） Can migration bridge the poverty gap between urban and rural areas？ The objectives of this paper are the following： （1） to identify the migrant labors contributions in China’s rural development; （2） to look into the importance of migration for the rural Chinese; and （3） to know and analyze the problems that migrant workers in China are facing in relation to their migratory work. Furthermore, this paper posits that migrant labors in China are contributing to rural development through their remittances, their investments, and the new knowledge and techniques that they acquired in the urban areas which they share in their home areas. In addition to that, this research looks at the migrant labors’ remittances, their investments, and the new knowledge and techniques that they acquired in their home areas as their contributions to rural development.

Solution to the Dilemma of the Migrant Labor Shortage and the Rural Labor Surplus in China

Since 2003, China＇s labor market has been facing two coexisting crises： a rural labor surplus and a severe shortage of migrant labor Using data from the 2000 China Health and Nutrition Survey questionnaire, which covers 288 villages in 36 counties, this paper attempts to find a solution to this dilemma. Specifically, a multinomial logit model, a Mincer- type model and a probit model are applied to examine the effect of educational level on the employment choices for rural laborers, and on the wages and the employment status of migrants. Based on the results of our analysis, we propose the implementation of policy aimed at increasing the educational level of rural dwellers, in conjunction with other policies to eliminate all artificial barriers, to facilitate the migration of rural laborers.

Analysis of Social Integration Models of Tourism Labor Migrants——A Case Study of Jiuhua Mountain of Anhui Province, China

The grounded theory of qualitative methods was applied to researching the social integration of tourism la-bor migrants in the Jiuhua Mountain of Anhui Province, China. The research was conducted based on the in-depth in-terviewing of 15 samples, open-consultation and the analysis of secondhand data. The integration models of tourism labor migrants in the Jiuhua Mountain were formed through four processes including theoretic sampling, cod-ing-analysis, cross-tabulation and contextualization. The result shows that modes of production and life styles decide self-integration orientation of tourism labor migrants in the Jiuhua Mountain. Cultural differences are fundamental dis-similarity between tourism labor migrants and natives. There are three kinds of integration models including rapid, free and gradually advancing integration. The differences among different types of migrants’ integration models are re-markable. Taking the working integration as the abscissa and taking the life integration as the coordinate, an "S" model of integration matrix appears in the gradually advancing integration of intermediate and high administers from the working to the life which should be paid special attention to.

Rural Migrant Workers' Welfare and Labor Protection in China under the Labor Contract Law

This paper employs difference-in-differences(DID) approach to evaluate the effects of China's Labor Contract Law's implementation on rural migrant workers' welfare.Our findings suggest that the Labor Contract Law has reduced rural migrant workers' working hours by 23%, and increased their social insurance coverage by 10% to 26%. This conclusion holds true after removal of sample selection bias and policy expectation factor.Further analysis reveals that Labor Contract Law's welfare improvement effect was more significant for migrant workers in regions where workers had poor bargaining power. Other economic factors during the same period of time did not affect the law's labor protection effect. Our findings give a clear answer to controversies over whether the Labor Contract Law can improve labor rights for underprivileged groups, and are of reference value for developing labor protection systems.

From "Migrant Workers Boom" to "Migrant Workers Scarcity"——Analysis of Institutional Bottleneck of Rural Surplus Labors Transfer in China

Through description of three-steps characteristic of dual economic theory and its practical significance to the process of industrialization and urbanization in China,and making comparative analysis between important criterion of "Lewis turning point" and current situation of rural surplus labors market in China,we can find that there exists a great deal of surplus labors in rural areas in our country,improvement of peasant income is the result of external interference of government,and demographic dividend in our country hasn't finished.These phenomena go against the theory of "Lewis turning point".So it can prove that "Lewis turning point" in China hasn't come yet.The paper points out the major factors of coexistence of "migrant workers scarcity" and labors redundancy in our country.The first one is structure contradiction of labors market;the second one is law of supply-demand of labors market;the third one is institutional barrier which hinders labors in free flow of census register and social guarantee.Therefore,if we want to realize successful transfer of rural surplus labors and the goal of industrialization and urbanization,we must promote upgrading of industrial structure,change the style of economic growth and realize harmonious development of regional economy in macrocosmic level;And in microcosmic level,we should eliminate institutional barrier which hinders transfer of rural surplus labors.

HIV/AIDS Related Stigma among Male Labor Migrants in Nepal

Labor migrants are those of the at-risk groups for HIV. This cross-sectional study has tried to examine HIV/AIDS-related stigma among Nepalese returnee male labor migrants. Migrant workers who have worked at least six months abroad were asked different questions related to sexual behavior, knowledge on HIV/AIDS & condom and HIV/AIDS-related stigma. Stigma was measured on a three-point rating scale as high, average and low stigma. About 58% of migrants had the view “I would rather not know if I have HIV” followed by “I don’t want to be friends with people living with HIV” (53.6% migrants) and “people with HIV are cursed” (35.5% migrants). High stigma was present among 15.5% of the total respondents with high proportion among those with higher age, lower education, rural residence, and no knowledge on Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) service. About a quarter of respondents were of the view that migrants infected with HIV while abroad should not be allowed to return Nepal. Some level of stigma on HIV/AIDS exists among male labor migrants in Nepal. Interventions aiming at reducing stigma should consider the factors like migrants’ age, education, place of residence and knowledge on VCT services.

Labor Contract Law,Warm or Cold for Migrant Worker?

The new labor contract law has exerted an unprecedented impact on manufacturing industry that has been progressing at much cheaper labor cost over years. The fact is the workers are not born cheap, they are made less costly without necessary welfares by some factory owners who often go to extreme to run sort of "sweatshop", as often reported by local and western media. The new labor rules could not possibly liberate all those sufferers.

外来劳动力技能多样性对城乡融合的影响——基于长江经济带县域的实证研究

利用熵值法测度长江经济带县域城乡融合发展水平,并利用全国流动人口动态监测调查数据构建外来劳动力技能多样性指标,实证检验外来劳动力技能多样性对县域城乡融合发展的影响效应和机制。研究发现:长江经济带县域城乡融合发展水平呈波动上升趋势,且呈现下游县域>上游县域>中游县域的空间分异格局;外来劳动力技能多样性能显著促进县域城乡融合,但影响效应存在区域异质性和流入方向异质性,在下游县域、城市群县域中,外来劳动力技能多样性促进县域城乡融合发展的效应更为明显,农村外来劳动力技能多样性的效应更强;机制检验表明,外来劳动力技能多样性能加速形成厚劳动力市场,推进农业技术创新,进而促进县域城乡融合。

机器人应用与农民工劳动供给

从劳动供给视角出发,基于国际机器人联盟(IFR)数据和中国流动人口动态监测调查(CMDS)数据,实证考察机器人应用对农民工劳动参与和劳动时间的影响及作用机制。研究发现:工业机器人的应用并没有产生严重挤占农民工劳动供给的现象。机器人应用水平提升会显著增加农民工的劳动参与,同时显著降低农民工劳动供给时间。采用工具变量法解决潜在内生性问题,并通过稳健性检验后,这一结论依然成立。机制检验表明,机器人的广泛应用主要通过推动产业结构优化升级、提高劳动生产率、提升工资率影响农民工的劳动供给。异质性分析显示,机器人应用对农民工劳动供给的影响存在地区、代际、性别、流动时间和技能水平差异。同时,基于就业身份和职业类型的不同,进一步考察了农民工劳动供给的结构性差异。

劳动权益保障、政府信任与高龄农民工的城市融合

基于调研数据,本文考察了劳动权益保障对高龄农民工城市融合的影响机制。实证结果显示,工资拖欠、工伤纠纷、劳动合同纠纷等劳动权益受损事件均会显著影响高龄农民工城市融合程度。对劳动权益纠纷解决过程的进一步考察发现:第一,劳动权益受损事件发生后,当高龄农民工对维权过程解决较为满意时,其城市融合程度显著高于没有发生过劳动权益纠纷者;第二,政府部门主导解决劳动权益纠纷对高龄农民工城市融合具有一定的“放大效应”。当高龄农民工对维权解决过程满意时,解决过程中的政府干预会显著提高其城市融合程度;当其对维权解决过程不满意时,解决过程中的政府干预反而使其城市融合程度下降的幅度更大。因此,本文认为应健全源头预防,杜绝劳动权益纠纷事件发生;建立农民工劳动权益保护协调机制;强化政府责任意识,属地监管、多部门协同,发挥政府在高龄农民工劳动权益保障工作中的积极作用。

历史大视野下的大跨越:秘鲁的中国移民

早在“大帆船贸易”时代,居住在菲律宾马尼拉的华侨就通过太平洋航路经墨西哥来到秘鲁。秘鲁独立后,一批批“契约华工”被运送到秘鲁从事重体力劳动。多数人在契约期满后留在当地营商,或从事其他行业。1874年,清政府通过与秘鲁交涉,正式废止了“契约华工”制度,此后华侨基本上以自由劳工身份前来秘鲁。但在不同的历史阶段,华侨入境人数经历了从限制到放宽的变化。中国改革开放后,新移民的到来改变了秘鲁华侨华人的人口结构。

外出务工时长与返乡农民工创业决策:推动抑或阻止?——基于中国家庭金融调查数据的实证分析

近年来,各级政府高度重视并大力支持农民工返乡创业,以便创造更多就业岗位以缓解当地愈来愈严峻的就业压力,从而带动农村经济社会全面发展,推动乡村振兴并实现共同富裕。基于乡村振兴和共同富裕的背景,文章使用中国家庭金融调查(CHFS)的数据,系统分析外出务工时长对返乡农民工创业决策的影响。研究结果表明:外出务工时长对返乡农民工的创业决策具有显著的正向影响。在处理了遗漏变量等内生性问题并进行一系列稳健性检验后,结论依然成立。基于此结论,文章对其内在的作用机制展开深入研究后发现,农民工流入发达地区城镇务工期间,能够通过积累工资性收入、扩展社会网络等渠道获得有助于返乡创业所需的各种资源。文章的成果有助于丰富和拓展外出务工经历对返乡农民工创业行为影响方面的相关研究,针对外出务工人群积攒创业资源、降低创业门槛所提出的政策建议,也有一定的参考借鉴作用。

中国劳动力流动健康效应及作用机制研究

2020年“七普”数据显示中国流动人口3.76亿人,“流动中国”格局已然形成。健康影响着劳动力流动决策,流动对劳动力健康也产生广泛影响。一方面,流动者面临更大的健康风险,在流入地生活和工作环境较差、社会融入感不强,其健康问题值得关注;另一方面,流动者从低效率产业向高效率产业、从低收入就业岗位向高收入就业岗位转移,增进了个人资源积累,可以对健康资本进行更多投资。中国劳动力发生流动行为后的健康水平是否得到改善?引起流动者健康改善的发生机制是什么?劳动力短期和长期流动是否存在传统的“流行病学悖论”?为回答这些问题,本研究基于Grossman健康需求模型构建包括收入、流动决策和健康的理论分析框架,解析劳动力流动行为与健康效应的关系。理论分析表明如果流动者的健康投入效应大于其他产品投入带来的潜在负向效应,则劳动力流动行为对健康效应具有正向影响。基于此,本研究进一步采用CFPS2014-2018年面板数据和有序Probit模型实证检验我国劳动力流动的健康效应和作用机制。实证研究发现劳动力流动有着显著的健康促进效应,在剔除劳动力自我选择效应后结果依然稳健;分异估计表明具有农业户籍、流入高收入地区和优质医疗资源集聚区,劳动力流动的健康促进效应更为明显;机制分析发现影响流动劳动力健康效应的主要机制是收入水平、社会资本以及在流入地获得的医疗资源;动态分析表明劳动力流动虽然存在短期“流行病学悖论”现象,但劳动力流动长期健康效应依然显著为正。这表明持续推动劳动力有序流动或许是一种改进国民健康水平的有效方式。因此,应增加那些处于社会中下层地位的劳动力社会流动的机会,进而改善他们的健康状况。同时,促进流动劳动力与本地居民的深度融合,提升流动劳动力医疗服务需求的平等程度和满足程度,赋予其与本地劳动力同等的参与权和保障权,通过恰当的就业政策和收入政策激励用人单位提升流动劳动力的收入水平和社会地位,从而稳定和提升他们的健康水平以及城市适应性。

最低工资标准与流动人口劳动供给

提高中低收入群体的就业保障是实现机会均等化的内在要求和践行以人为核心的新型城镇化以促进流动人口市民化的必要举措。利用2015-2018年中国流动人口动态监测调查数据实证考察了最低工资政策对低收入流动人口劳动供给的影响。研究发现,流动人口的劳动时间与最低工资标准之间存在明显的非线性关系,随着最低工资标准的提升,流动人口的劳动时间和超时劳动概率表现出先增后减的趋势。其中,女性、年轻人、受教育水平较高的劳动力以及城-城流动人员的劳动供给对最低工资调整更为敏感,其工作时间会在更低的最低工资水平上转折下降。进一步通过分析最低工资对城市失业人口占比、劳动力结构等的影响,研究并未发现最低工资标准提升会显著增加低收入流动人口的失业率。研究结论为理解最低工资制度对流动人口劳动的监督和保护效应提供了实证证据,同时也从城市管理视角为提高流动人口就业质量提供了决策支撑。

流动农业工人:概念特征、经济动态与理论视角

农业劳动力问题是农政转型与变迁研究领域的核心议题之一,其深厚的学术传统不仅聚焦对该群体及其背后流动现象的关注,还涉及其对农业、农地、农民和农村方面的多重影响。本文通过对国际农政研究领域的英文文献进行梳理,呈现了流动农业工人群体的定义、特征与生成机制,并从马克思主义、实体主义、新古典与新制度经济学、后现代与后结构主义、生计框架五个经典农政理论视角出发,展现了当前英文学术界围绕该议题形成的核心观点和研究旨趣,进一步揭示了该现象背后蕴含的丰富研究内容和重要研究价值。以雇佣劳动替代家庭劳动是中国农业现代化转型的必然过程,尤其是在蔬菜、水果等特殊农产品种植区域,雇佣流动农业工人普遍存在,是农业经营主体应对季节性劳动力需求高峰的主要方式,也是确保特殊农产品供应安全的保障。因此,应在学术研究与制度建设方面对中国流动农业工人给予更多关注,以构建更公平、规范和更具有支持性的流动环境。

迈向共同富裕:农民工流动的社会效应及其体制经验

中国式现代化是全体人民共同富裕的现代化,农民工在促进社会共同富裕的过程中发挥着重要作用。当前,农民工仍然是一个具有鲜明身份与职业特征的过渡性阶层,难以融入大中城市。因此,他们选择就近县域城镇化,落脚县城是普遍选择。在县域社会的场域中,农民工流动发挥了促进共同富裕的社会效应。首先是农民工的务工收入不断增长,带动农民生计模式转型;其次是农民工社会地位上升,构成了县域中间阶层的主体;最后,农民工可进可退的流动方式,构建了特色的渐进城镇化秩序。这些社会效应的形成和国家重视解决农民工问题有关。国家不断完善农民工流动体制,形成了生计稳定取向与普惠发展取向的两类政策体系,其核心理念是让农民工和城市居民共享现代化发展成果,迈向城乡共同富裕。

The Human Capital Return and Social Integration of Migrants in China

From the perspective of migrants ＇self-selection and skill transferability theories, this paper compares human capital return rates of different migrant groups in urban China and discuss the possibility of economic status identified by migrants as local labors. Results suggest that positive self-selection works for all types of migrant labors. Migrant workers with non-agricultural household registration or feinong hukou have no trouble to be integrated into the labor market of destination. They even have higher income and human capital return rates than local urban workers. Newly-arrived migrant peasants earn less than local labors. However, after a certain period, the skilled migrant workers catch up with local labors and are economically integrated into the local labor market while the low-skilled migrant group still earns less. Therefore the integration of migrant labors in urban labor market is yet a kind of segregated integration.

城市信息技术发展与流动人口劳动力市场结构变化

本文运用2012—2018年流动人口动态监测调查数据,从任务类型出发,分析城市信息技术发展对个体职业选择和收入的差异化影响,对其是否带来流动人口劳动力市场结构变化进行验证。结果发现,城市信息技术发展提高了流动人口劳动者选择非常规认知型和非常规操作型职业的概率,并提升了两类非常规型职业的相对收入,在就业和收入两方面均呈现“劳动力市场极化”的影响形式。进一步,我们发现极化影响并未显著改善低学历劳动者的就业和收入水平,原因在于高、中学历劳动者进入非常规操作型职业后产生的就业挤压效应。这些发现对中国信息化、城镇化与共同富裕背景下不同技能类型劳动力技能转换、职业流动均有启示意义。

中国老人农业的生成逻辑、现状探析与发展路径

改革开放以来,中国在城乡二元结构、“半工半耕”家计选择以及家庭联产承包责任制共同作用下,逐步产生了具有中国特色的老人农业现象。中国老人农业的存在,一定程度上推进了中国城镇化进程、保障了国家粮食安全、缓解了老年农民养老压力。但当前中国老人农业也面临着突出问题,中国老人农业对农业技术的应用具有相对排斥性,农民市民化影响中国老人农业发展的持续性,农业基础设施不健全增加中国老人农业的挑战性。正视和关照中国老人农业问题,要坚持以人民为中心的发展理念,创新平原型老人农业经营方式和探索山地型老人农业合理发展路径。

General report on the status of Chinese rural migrant workers and their development trends

This paper reviews the development of the rural migrant worker issue in China since reform and opening-up began. Firstly,utilizing substantial investigation,the authors analyze the new characteristics of Chinese rural migrant workers;Secondly,authors analyze the migrant workers’ contributions to reshaping the rural landscape and to driving China’s economic development and social structural change;Finally,using a quantitative analysis model,they examine the long-term trends of rural migrant workers and their interactions with macroeconomic and social development.