Online Book Talk—Household Registration: A Tale of Two Cities

You’re invited to an online discussion with Anthony Saich, Director of the Rajawali Foundation Institute for Asia and Daewoo Professor of International Affairs, and Kunling Zhang, Assistant Professor of Economics at Beijing Normal University, on their latest book, Institutional Change and Adaptive Efficiency: A Study of China’s Hukou System Evolution. Rana Mitter, S.T. Lee Professor of US-Asia Relations, will serve as discussant.  

Abstract:

The household registration system (hukou) is widely seen as a major factor contributing to inequality in China. Individuals’ benefits depend on where their registration is located, with rural residents enjoying considerably less welfare support than their urban counterparts. This has been especially problematic for migrant laborers. There have been calls to abolish the system, and even the central leadership has advocated for its amendment or removal. Yet, many cities maintain it in some form. This talk explains why. 

Before reforms, policy was exogenous, determined by Beijing. Subsequently, changes have become exogenous, driven by bottom-up initiatives to modify the system. An examination of the cities of Shijiazhuang and Zhengzhou reveals how the local political economy shapes the outcomes of hukou reform.