An Application of Partial Least Squares to the Construction of the Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) and the Corruption Perception Index (CPI)

This paper discusses households’ food insecurity among low income, poor urban households in and around the City of Tshwane, South Africa’s capital city. Using systematic random sampling with sampling interval of three, primary data were collected from 900 selected households, though only data from 827 households were analyzed following a rigorous coherence tests. The survey was conducted in Attridgeville, Soshanguve, and Tembisa. In the process, the study employed the use of two-way analyses of variance to explain differences between actual and expected household food security perceptions and those of severe, moderate and mild food insecurity. A favourable (adverse) variance could be interpreted to imply that means for achieving household food security are lower (higher) than predicted or that food security is higher (lower) than expected given the same level of main determinants. The observed variance is partitioned into components attributable to different sources of variation. ANOVA provides a statistical test of whether or not the means of several groups experiencing favourable (adverse) variances are equal. The main findings are that variances in the population means of households’ experiences of food insecurity vary by income class of the head of household, engagement in formal or informal income sources and by categories of social grants received. Poorer households that depend largely on cash income for food purchases experience highest food security variances and those receiving state pension. As such, timely receipt of household income under conditions of unimpeded access to social grants will improve urban poor households’ food security. The level of educational attainment has a very strong impact on a household’s food security. Those with “no schooling” have the lowest level of food security. Experiencing high variances in access to child grants, and low incomes, younger female household heads experience the highest degree of variances in food security and should be particularly targeted in an effective food security policy plan. Negative food security variance among these categories of South Africans could be devastating.     

教育投入与社会保障对城乡收入差距的联合影响

当前城乡收入差距扩大化趋势引起广泛关注。文章使用世代交叠模型研究公共教育和社会保障对收入分配的作用机制,在此基础上分析公共教育和社会保障对城乡收入差距的影响。研究发现,公共教育通过作用于教育投资、社会保障通过作用于有效家庭时间共同影响人力资本积累从而影响收入。一方面,数值模拟结果显示公共教育和社会保障的增加能够显著地增加收入;另一方面,结合中国城乡实际的实证研究结果显示,本应该起到调节和缩小城乡收入差距的公共教育和社会保障制度,并没有发挥其收入再分配的功能,反而形成了"逆向调节"的负效应,扩大了城乡收入差距,对此,文章通过理论与实证得出,缩小我国城乡人均教育投资和社会保障税率差距对缩小城乡收入差距具有重要的现实意义。     

Influence of Prudential Value on the Subjective Well-Being of Chinese Urban–Rural Residents

The perspective of previous studies on subjective well-being (SWB) is mainly in terms of utility, demand and capacity, among others. However, the understanding of SWB is not sufficiently comprehensive and systematic. In this study, we used survey data from Chinese General Social Survey and studied the SWB of Chinese urban–rural residents from the perspective of prudential value, an integrated prudential value perspective that is “value”-oriented, multidimensional, social, inter-subjective, and interdisciplinary. We also made a scientific and effective layered control for SWB variables. Different types of variables were progressively overlaid to establish five related comparability study models. Linear regression analysis method was used to obtain reliable results. We then derived substantive conclusions based on the differences in SWB (i.e., degree of life satisfaction and life happiness) of China urban–rural residents. We found that the lack of education, medical, employment and other related social security systems significantly influences the degree of life satisfaction and happiness of urban–rural residents rather than differences between urban–rural households. The lack of basic systems prevented residents from fulfilling their basic needs and undermined their own sense of dignity. As long as the socio-economic status and prudential recognition of urban–rural residents remain under equal conditions, happiness between urban and rural residents does not differ significantly. Therefore, to better solve the current social issues and further improve the quality of life of Chinese residents, we propose suggestions for government on the policies that coordinate urban and rural development.     

中国农村养老保障的制度创新与农村人口发展

本文以城乡统筹社会保障改革的指导思想为指引,立足于中国农村人口转型的时代背景和发展趋势,结合国际农村社会保障最新发展趋势的分析,探讨中国农村养老保障制度的制度创新问题。文章认为当前农村应着眼于计生家庭、高龄人口及无子女家庭等重点人群,更加重视老年津贴、小额保险和特种储蓄等新兴政策工具,更好地实现社会养老保障同传统的家庭保障、村社集体互助组织等的有机结合。走出一条城乡之间相对独立而又良性互动的、有中国特色的养老保障之路。     

Multidimensional Poverty in China: Findings Based on the CHNS

This paper estimates multidimensional poverty in China by applying the Alkire-Foster methodology to the China Health and Nutrition Survey 2000–2009 data. Five dimensions are included: income, living standard, education, health and social security. Results suggest that rapid economic growth has resulted not only in a reduction in income poverty but also in a reduction in multidimensional poverty in the last decade, both in terms of its prevalence and intensity. However, many challenges remain. There are wide disparities across provinces and between urban and rural areas, with poverty being 1.5 times higher in rural areas than in urban ones in 2009. Moreover, rising deprivation in education in rural and less developed provinces should also be a policymaking concern.     

流动人口在城市劳动力市场中的地位:三群体研究

关于流动人口在城市劳动力市场中的地位问题,过去已有大量文献,但研究重点是农民工。这里把外来市民纳入观察视野,利用2008年"迁移和流动劳动力与中国大城市发展"调查数据,分析工资收入和社会保险参与的影响因素。主要研究发现:在工资收入上,不同户籍身份劳动者之间没有净差异;在养老保险和工伤保险参与上,本市居民、外来市民和农民工参与的可能性依次递减。这意味着,工资收入已经基本上由劳动力市场决定,而社会保险参与依然与户籍身份有关。不过,这种关联方式已经从过去的城乡户籍身份歧视转向本地/非本地权益差异。     

人口老龄化对城乡统筹发展的影响与对策探析

城镇化加速人口老龄化,人口老龄化影响城镇化进程。在人口老龄化和城镇化交织影响下,我国农村人口老龄化发展迅速,其老龄化水平远高于城镇,这将给我国新农村建设、农村社会保障、城乡协调发展等方面带来不同程度的冲击和挑战。应该按照城乡发展一体化要求,积极推进适应人口老龄化的新型城镇化,培育新型农业发展方式,推进以城支农的新农村建设,统筹城乡就业以改善农村老年人从事经济活动的条件。     

老年人医疗保健支出水平及其影响因素分析——慢性病高发背景下的老年人医疗保健制度改革

选取年内绝对和相对医疗支出两个指标,采用Tobit模型,检验影响老年人医疗保健支出的因素。研究发现慢性病、收入、居住地、社会保障对老年人医疗保健支出的影响突出,其中慢性病的影响尤为显著,在此基础上提出调整城乡医疗资源配置结构,健全社会保障政策,在医疗保健制度中增加预防性保险与服务的政策性建议。     

交通基础设施对农户人力资本投资的影响——基于准自然实验的因果推断分析

使用CFPS 2010和CFPS 2014家庭面板数据,以开通公路和公交作为准自然实验,研究了交通基础设施对农户人力资本投资的影响。基于PSM-DID方法的结果表明:通过增收效应和文化冲击等途径,交通基础设施能够显著改善农户的教育观;进而促进农户提高物质和非物质人力资本投资;这有利于端正农村青少年的学习态度,并最终有利于提高农村青少年学业成绩。所以应继续加强城乡间交通基础设施建设,以激发农户和农村青少年对教育的内生追求动力,促进农村人力资本积累。这不仅有利于推动教育公平,也有利于为“三农”注入内生发展动力,具有一定的社会和经济意义。     

Perceptions of Fortune and Misfortune in Older South African Households: Social Assistance and the ‘Good Life’

It is commonly assumed that better living standards will boost subjective well-being. The post-apartheid South African government subscribes to this idea; its social policies aim to provide ‘a better life for all’. Since the coming of democracy in 1994, the state has built over 3 million houses and supplied electricity and clean water to poor households. By 2009, an estimated 43 % of households were beneficiaries of social grants. The question is whether this investment in services and social assistance translates into higher well-being of citizens. It is argued that older people’s experience of positive change in their life circumstances can be taken as a litmus test of progress in society. The paper reports results of a sample survey conducted in 2009 that inquired into the living circumstances and well-being of 1,000 older low-income households in two provinces linked by a labour migration route. Older households were defined as ones with a member 55 years and older. The sample was drawn among three approximately equal-sized subgroups: Rural black households in the former ‘homelands’ of the Eastern Cape Province, and black and coloured households in Cape Town in the Western Cape Province. The majority of the households in the survey had been interviewed in an earlier survey conducted in late 2002. Both material and non-material changes had occurred in the household situation over the 6-year period between 2002 and 2009. Access to housing and infrastructure had improved but financial difficulties and debts continued to plague many of the surveyed households. Rural black households appeared to be worst off among the three categories of older households with the lowest level of living; coloured households best situated with the highest level of living. Urban black households, many of whom were immigrants to Cape Town, appeared to have experienced the greatest fluctuations in their material circumstances between 2002 and 2009 and a mix of fortune and misfortune. Results indicated that social grants, which provided a modicum of financial security and peace of mind, made the crucial difference between fortune and misfortune for vulnerable households. Securing a social pension and other grants appeared to be the main route to good fortune for the rural households in the study. Households in Cape Town required wage income in addition to grant income to get by in the city. This mix of income sources diluted urban households’ dependence on social assistance. Regression model results suggest that income and financial security play a significantly more important role in boosting the well-being of low-income older households than access to services. Pooling of income, a common practice in pensioner households, contributed significantly to household satisfaction.     

城镇居民收入差距扩大的现状、原因及抑制对策

随着市场经济的快速发展,城镇居民家庭的收入水平有了明显提高。与此同时,也存在着居民家庭收入差距加大的突出问题。本文通过采集中国分阶层城镇居民家庭人均年收入、恩格尔系数等资料。利用洛伦茨曲线结合其它相关统计分析,揭示了收入水平的提高和差距扩大的严峻状况。并对差距扩大的历史、劳动力、经济、政策等原因进行了分析,在此基础上提出了加快经济发展,规范市场环境,落实“扩中、保低、调高”方针、取缔非法收入、加大教育投入、建立健全社会保障制度等抑制收入差距扩大的对策建议。     

中国老年人失能相对成本估计

老年人因失能会产生额外的生活成本,使老年人更容易陷入贫困。文章采用生活水平法对老年人失能的相对成本进行估计,结果表明,单身独居老人和高龄老人失能的相对成本更高;城市老人失能相对成本高于农村,东部高于西部。建议针对失能老年人的相对成本特征,制定更有针对性的老年人福利政策,老龄津贴政策需充分考虑老年人失能的相对成本。     

Social Support and Psychological Well-Being Under Social Change in Urban and Rural China

The economic reforms of the past two decades have initiated a major social transition in China, characterized by unprecedented social mobility and stratification. Meanwhile, the privatization of health care has increased costs to the consumer. While such changes would logically affect individuals’ psychological well-being, little attention has been paid to this association. Using data from the Chinese General Social Survey (2005), this paper looks at the relationships between social changes and the psychological well-being of individuals in both urban and rural areas, as well as the role of social support in Chinese society. We find that an increasing health-care burden is significantly associated with individuals’ psychological well-being, especially in rural China. Perceived social status, its change over time and its comparison with perceived status of peers, are also significantly correlated with psychological well-being both in rural and urban China. Social support has a protective function for psychological well-being across different samples, and also compensates for the negative association between increasing health-care burden and psychological well-being, but it strengthens relative deprivation during social change on psychological well-being in rural areas.     

The impacts of rapid demographic transition on family structure and income inequality in Brazil, 1981–2011

This study analysed the impact of changing family structure on income distribution. Specifically, it analysed how changes in the proportions of different categories of family in the population contributed to increases in the income of the richest and poorest social strata in Brazil, and the consequent impacts on income inequality. Rural and urban families were compared in order to understand how these dynamics had different impacts on more developed (urban) and less developed (rural) areas. The results emphasize how changes observed in family structure are more pronounced among the richest families, contributing to an increase in (i) the income of the richest families and (ii) income inequality between the richest and poorest families, as well as between urban and rural areas.     

Poverty,Inequality and Deprivation in South Africa: An Analysis of the 1993 SALDRU Survey

This paper analyses poverty and inequality in South Africa based on data from a comprehensive multi-purpose household survey undertaken in 1993 to provide baseline statistics on poverty and its determinants to the new government. The paper shows that South Africa has among the highest levels of income inequality in the world and compares poorly in most social indicators to countries with similar income levels. Much of the poverty in the country is a direct result of apartheid policies that denied equal access to education, employment, services, and resources to the black population of the country. As a result, poverty has a very strong racial dimension with poverty concentrated among the African population. In addition, poverty is much higher in rural areas, and particularly high in the former homelands. Poverty among female-headed households and among children is also higher than average. Moreover, poverty is closely related to poor education and lack of employment. The poor suffer from lack of access to education, quality health care, basic infrastructure, transport, are heavily indebted, have little access to productive resources, and are heavily dependent on remittances and social transfers, particularly social pensions and disability grants. The paper uses an income-based definition of poverty for most of the analysis. In addition, it develops a broad-based index of deprivation including income, employment, wealth, access to services, health, education, and perceptions of satisfaction as its components. While on average the two indicators correspond fairly closely, the income poverty measure misses a considerable number of people who are severely deprived in many of the non-income measures of well-being. This group of severely deprived not identified by the income poverty measure consists predominantly of Africans living in rural areas, concentrated particularly in the province of KwaZulu/Natal.     

Drivers of rural exodus from Amazonian headwaters

Rural–urban migration can have both positive and negative environmental consequences for tropical forests. Rural residents exert pressure on the environment through farming, fishing, and forest extraction, yet conversely, protecting rural livelihoods is often the motivation for conserving large areas of threatened forest. This research examines rural settlement within the Brazilian Amazon to shed light on the drivers of on-going rural exodus and its environmental implications. Specifically, we examine the relative importance of public service provision and natural resources in determining settlement patterns along, and rural–urban migration from, eight rivers in road-less regions of the Brazilian Amazon. Data include biophysical, social, and economic variables that were assessed in 184 riverine settlements along rural–urban gradients up to 740 km from the nearest urban center. Settlements were smaller upstream, and lacked key services such as schools and healthcare. We found that clustering of rural populations close to urban centers reflects the high costs of living in remote areas, despite abundant natural resources which previously justified migration to headwaters. Impeded dry-season navigability and transport costs restricted the flow of goods and services to and from remote areas, and transaction costs of trade exchange were higher upstream. A lack of school access was the main motivation for rural–urban migration and the abandonment of remote riverine settlements. A key policy implication is that while education services could provide a powerful tool to stabilize and support rural populations, delivery is challenging in remote areas and may also encourage further rural–urban migration in the longer term. Furthermore, river-dwellers in remote areas rarely visited remote urban centers, presumably because these journeys are too costly. We examine the implications of our findings for anti-poverty subsidies and payment for ecosystem services and conclude that transport costs required to receive payment could encourage further depopulation of remote areas.     

Wild foods and household food security responses to AIDS: evidence from South Africa

Wild foods may offer unique benefits to households afflicted by AIDS, providing a nutritious and freely available food source at minimal labour and financial costs. This article presents the results of food security assessments in two rural South African sites. Detailed household dietary recalls from 227 households, combined with qualitative work, explored the association of household AIDS proxies (recent morbidity, mortality and orphan fostering) with household food security and dietary composition. The study found that AIDS-proxy households were significantly more food insecure, and households fostering orphans were both poorer and more food insecure. Wild foods were evident in 40.3% of the 48 h recalls, with significantly greater likelihood of use in households with fostering paternal orphans, and/or with at least one AIDS proxy. Only paternal orphans were significantly associated with likelihood of using wild foods when controlling for household socio-economic status. Qualitative data suggests that households afflicted by AIDS might curtail their use of wild foods due to household labour shortages and stigma. This is unfortunate, as regressions indicate that households using wild foods may be more economically resilient. This may be particularly important for households registering AIDS proxies, due to a demonstrated negative correlation between accumulated household AIDS proxies and household income.     

Influences of household structure and composition on breast-feeding

Researchers applied longitudinal data on 2884 women who were at least 6 months pregnant between May 1983-April 1984 and living in the Cebu metropolitan area, the Philippines to examine assumptions which may explain the association between lower breast feeding levels and dwindling social support for mothers who breast feed in urban areas. Extended family households were much more common in urban areas than rural areas (46.3% vs. 27.5%). This finding did not support the 3rd assumption of falling extended family patterns with urbanization. Further as the levels of complexity and extension of the household rose so did infant care support regardless of location. For example, the number of hours of help with infant care for mothers in nuclear families in urban areas was 1.23 which climbed from 2.53 for horizontal extended families to 2.9 for vertical extended families and to 3.09 for horizontal and vertical extended families. This result supported the 2nd assumption of much more social support in extended families than nuclear families. Yet social support did not translate into promotion of breast feeding--the 1st assumption. Mothers in horizontally extended families had a lower likelihood of breast feeding than those in nuclear families. Further only adult female relatives of the same generation as the mother has a negative influence on breast feeding in urban mothers, but not rural mothers. In fact, female children of at least 7 years old, female servants, and yayas all negatively affect breast feeding in urban mothers, but not rural mothers. In rural households, young female relatives (at least 7 years old) significantly increased the probability of breast feeding whereas young male relatives decreased the probability.     

户籍类型与城乡居民医疗服务利用 ——基于Andersen模型的经验分析

本文利用中国社会科学院经济研究所2018年城乡居民入户调查数据,从户籍改革角度分析户口类型改变对城乡居民医疗服务利用的影响。研究发现:与户口类型未发生改变的城乡居民相比,户口类型发生过改变(农转非)的城乡居民门急诊服务利用的可能性更高,住院医疗服务支出水平更低。从户籍改革与参保类型交互效应看,相对于户口类型未发生过改变的居民医保参保人群,户口类型发生改变(农转非)会显著提高居民医保参保人群门急诊服务利用,同时降低其住院服务利用。进一步采用PSM方法进行稳健性检验,户籍改革对提高城乡居民门急诊服务利用,降低住院医疗服务利用的结论依然成立。此外,本文还发现,直接结算提高了城乡居民门急诊和住院的就诊概率;健康自评状况越差,门急诊和住院医疗服务利用可能性越高,门急诊医疗支出、住院医疗支出和跨省异地就医支出也越高。本文认为,相对于推行基层分级诊疗制度,以户籍改革推动农村居民自由流入医疗资源更丰富的城镇地区,改革基层卫生院制度,以及改变基层医疗服务提供激励机制,可能更有助于改善农村居民健康状况。