This study examines how China's traditional clans affect the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance of modern firms. Employing prefecture-level genealogical data and data on A-share listed firms from 2009 to 2022, we find that firms located in regions with strong clan influence tend to exhibit superior ESG performance, particularly in the environmental dimension. This effect is primarily driven by the cultural influence and organizational functions of clans. We also demonstrate that the influence of clans is more significant for firms and regions where formal regulatory oversight is weaker. Our research contributes to the literature by introducing an informal institutional perspective on the determinants of ESG performance.

ESG has attracted widespread attention in China’s capital markets. This study investigates the impact of corporate executives’ political connections on firms’ ESG performance in China. Using panel data from A-share listed companies between 2009 and 2022, this study empirically tests whether politically connected executives influence ESG ratings. The results show a significant positive association between political connections and ESG scores. Mechanism analysis reveals that such connections improve ESG performance by enhancing media scrutiny, alleviating financing constraints, and increasing access to government subsidies. To address endogeneity concerns, we employ Two-Stage Least Squares (2SLS) regression, confirming the robustness of the findings. These results highlight the role of political capital in promoting sustainable corporate practices.

Patrilineal family norms shape household behavior in developing countries, yet their consequences for formal political participation have received little attention. Using data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) 2014, we estimate the effect of having a son on voting in village committee elections. OLS estimates with village fixed effects indicate that having at least one son raises turnout by 7.6 percentage points, an 18% increase relative to the sample mean. We instrument son status with the gender of the first child, plausibly exogenous under rural China's "one-and-a-half-child" policy. The 2SLS estimate of 7.7 percentage points closely mirrors the OLS baseline, indicating that selection from fertility behavior is limited. We identify two mechanisms. First, a local residence effect: patrilocal marriage norms keep sons, but not daughters, in the natal village, giving parents a stronger stake in local governance. Second, a face effect: having a son raises social standing within the village, raising the confidence to engage in public affairs. Both channels attenuate in urban areas where patriarchal norms are weaker. Kinship institutions thus shape who turns out in grassroots elections. By linking patrilineal norms to electoral turnout, we show that family-centered interests can complement rather than crowd out formal governance.

This study utilizes data from China to investigate the effects of cultural diversity on digital finance. Empirical results show that a one-unit increase in dialect density is associated with a 1.9% decrease in digital finance development. This relationship remains robust when instrumenting with the number of historical wars. The study further suggests that promoting internet access, education, and openness can help emerging economies reduce cultural barriers, foster social trust, and support digital financial growth. These findings highlight the importance of cultural integration in building a sustainable environment for digital finance in developing regions.

This study combines genealogical data before 1990 and corporate pollution data in 2007 to empirically examine the impact of clan density on environmental governance. Our findings suggest that regions with strong clan power tend to suppress companies' pollution. The use of historical wars as an instrumental variable strengthens our results. Preliminary analyses suggest that clans engage in environmental governance through organizational coordination and cultural education. Moreover, our study indicates that clans' environmental governance effect can complement formal power in regions where it is lacking. Overall, as an informal organization, clans have a profound and important impact on environmental governance.

China, as a transitional economy, faces a high level of market segmentation among administrative regions, which lowers the efficiency of resource allocation and the total factor productivity (TFP) rate. The literature has focused on the negative effects of local protectionism and administrative division on the formation of market integration in the economic growth process. However, considering that administrative districts such as prefectures usually overlap with cultural regions in China, the effects of local protectionism and administrative division on market segmentation may be overestimated because cultural diversity may also be negatively related to market integration. More importantly, diversity of dialect tends to increase the cost of communication, making it a barrier to labor migration and decreasing the level of generalized trustamong people. As a result, it may have adverse effects on the market integration process.

Existing research on the relationship between social trust and enterprise size primarily relies on cross-country analysis, but country-specific studies are still rare, especially for developing countries. Drawing on Fukuyama’s proposition that social trust fosters enterprise expansion, this study empirically investigates the effect of social trust on the size of enterprises in China. We analyze industrial enterprise data from the China Industrial Enterprise Database and manually collected data on blood donations, a proxy for social trust, at the prefecture level. Our findings indicate that regions with higher social trust have both larger enterprises and a greater prevalence of large enterprises than regions with low social trust. This study offers an explanation for the “riddle of the absence of large enterprises in China” by considering the role of social trust and provides an empirical examination of Fukuyama’s proposition in the unique context of China.

Since the reform and opening up, China's urbanization has developed rapidly Behind the rapid urbanization is the imbalance and insufficiency of urban development From the perspective of social and cultural diversity, this paper explores the impact of the diversity of dialect types on urban scale The diversity of dialects leads to the division of trust, hinders the cross regional flow of factors, affects the agglomeration effect of factors, and then affects the expansion of urban scale Using the diversity index of regional dialect types and 2016 nppviirs urban night light index, this paper empirically studies the impact of dialect diversity on urban scale The measurement results show that: Dialect diversity has a significant negative impact on urban scale On average, the addition of one dialect category will lead to a 4.5% decline in the size of the city measured by the night light index 55%. A series of robustness tests and causal identification show that the estimation result in this paper is the causal relationship of robustnessfurther empirical research shows that dialect diversity mainly affects the expansion of urban scale by hindering the flow and agglomeration of labor, capital and technological factorsthe Enlightenment of this study: To build a diversified and inclusive modern city, we need to weigh the costs and benefits of cultural diversity and unity, break cultural barriers, eliminate cultural prejudices, improve social trust, and give full play to the complementary effects brought by multiculturalism

伴随东部、中部、西部经济发展差距的收敛,以"南快北慢"为主要特征的中国南北经济分化现象正逐步凸显.基于南方城市更多表现为"百花齐放",北方地区表现为"一枝独秀"的特征事实,本文尝试从南北城市规模分布差异这一视角探讨南北区域发展不平衡背后的成因.本文利用南北城市配对思想构造南北比值样本进行实证分析,实证结果显示:南北不同的城市发展逻辑,导致南北城市规模分布存在显著差异."百花齐放"的南方城市之间的竞争,促进了南方经济的均衡发展;而"一枝独秀"的北方城市发展战略带来的虹吸效应降低了北方整体资源配置效率,由此造成南北经济的分化.地区内部资源配置不合理,是影响地区之间经济发展不平衡的重要原因.本文的研究对理解南北经济分化这一"新情况"具有重要的政策启示:深入实施区域协调发展战略,解决区域之间发展不平衡问题的关键,在于实现区域内部发展的平衡性,"一花独放不是春,百花齐放春满园",地区内部形成基于市场的资源集聚,才能带来大市场的规模效应,实现高质量区域经济发展格局.

Uncertainty caused by frequent earthquakes can permanently reshape people’s time preferences, forcing them to confront the question of whether to “save for a rainy day” or “live in the moment.” Focusing on China, this study empirically analyzes the effect of earthquake frequency on local residents’ time preferences, using seismic data from 780 BCE to 1970 CE matched to the China Family Panel Studies (2010) database (CFPS). The results show that uncertainty arising from earthquakes continuously influences residents’ time preferences and behavior. Specifically, in regions with a higher earthquake frequency, residents’ saving rate is lower and households’ consumption level is higher, suggesting that people exposed to frequent earthquakes pay more attention to the present than the future. The results further show that residents’ education investment level and average education level are lower in higher earthquake frequency regions. The empirical evidence demonstrates that differences in mindset are the primary reason for the observed regional differences in consumption, savings and education. The results of a series of robustness tests demonstrate the robustness of the above-listed findings. This research sheds new light on the relationship between natural disasters and human time preferences.

加快形成以国内大循环为主体、国内国际双循环相互促进的新发展格局,需要打通经济内循环的梗阻,形成有效的内部分工体系.本文基于中国264个地级市的方言多样性与城市分工数据,从文化视角研究了方言多样性对专业分工的影响.实证研究发现:方言多样性是抑制城市专业化分工的重要因素.平均而言,方言种类每增加1种,城市分工水平会降低3.11％,这意味着方言种类数量前5％的地区比方言种类数量后5％的地区专业化分工水平低21.77％左右.打通内循环的梗阻,需要鼓励要素流动,推进以城市圈建设为主体的城市化进程,进而打破方言背后的身份认同机制.本文同时从交通、人口流动、城市化等角度,为打破文化壁垒、打通国内循环提供了政策意见.

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.

改革开放以来,中国的城市化得到了快速发展.在迅速城市化的背后,是城市发展的不平衡与非充分.本文从社会文化多样性的视角出发,探究方言种类的多样性对城市规模的影响.方言多样性带来信任分割,阻碍了要素跨地区流动,影响要素的集聚效应,进而影响城市规模的扩张.利用地区方言种类的多样性指标和2016年NPP-VIIRS城市夜间灯光指数,本文实证研究了方言多样性对城市规模的影响.计量结果显示:方言多样性对城市规模有显著的负向影响.平均而言,方言小类增加一种,将导致以夜间灯光指数测算的城市规模下降4.55％.一系列稳健性检验和因果识别显示本文估计结果是稳健性的因果关系.进一步的实证研究表明方言多样性主要是通过阻碍劳动力、资本和技术要素的流动和集聚影响城市规模的扩张.本文研究启示:建设多元、包容性的现代化城市,需要权衡文化多样性与统一性的成本与收益,打破文化隔阂,消除文化偏见,提高社会信任水平,进而充分发挥多元文化带来的互补效应.

论文重点研究了社会信任与关系型融资之间的关系.文章运用CFPS(2014)微观数据,发现信任水平越高的债权人,越愿意提供关系型融资.进一步的异质性分析表明:社会信任对非正式融资的影响主要集中在农村而不是城市地区,在年龄结构上主要集中于25～50岁的年龄范围.考虑到可能的内生性估计偏误,文章不仅要解决人力资本、社会网络、宗族力量等遗漏变量问题,还利用"南稻北麦"的种植方式作为社会信任的工具变量进行IV估计,进一步证实信任对关系型融资的因果效应.结果显示,在正式金融制度短缺的落后地区,积累社会资本、提高社会信任水平,对于促进非正式金融市场发展、满足社会多样化金融需求具有积极的借鉴意义.最后针对关系型融资的互联网化和乡村宗族文化式微下社会信任作用的不断消解问题,提出一些政策指导.

Before the reform and opening up, most of the employees in the employing units were “permanent workers”, and the vast majority were lifelong employees. With the development of market economy, the lifelong employment system can no longer stimulate the enthusiasm of employees, and China’s labor market began to change. The basic direction of China’s labor market reform is to introduce the market mechanism and standardize the labor contract system to enhance the flexibility and security of labor market. In order to improve the signing rate of labor contracts and protect the legitimate rights and interests of workers, the Chinese government promulgated and implemented the Labor Contract Law in 2008, which can promote the establishment of harmonious and stable labor relations.Based on the CFPS2016 micro data, this paper explores the impact of signing formal labor contracts on improving employee job satisfaction. Empirical research shows that, on average, signing formal labor contracts has a significant role in promoting employee job satisfaction. For employees aged 16-40, at the “relatively satisfactory” level, the probability of job satisfaction of employees who signed formal labor contracts is 3.55% higher than that of employees without formal labor contracts. In order to ensure the preciseness of the research conclusions and reduce the estimation errors, this paper designs three aspects: （1）Robustness test. In order to exclude the bias caused by personality factors, this paper uses life satisfaction and marriage satisfaction to do further robustness test.（2）Quasi-natural experiment design. Based on the differences of job satisfaction and labor contract status between husband and wife, this paper constructs a quasi-natural experiment scene. If there are differences between the two sides in whether to sign a formal contract, it can be expected that there should be differences in their job satisfaction.（3）Estimation of instrumental variables. This paper uses the household registration system as a tool variable of formal contracts to verify the causal effect of formal contracts on job satisfaction.Therefore, the government needs to strengthen the implementation of the Labor Contract Law and improve the probability of workers having labor contracts. For employers, it is not enough to improve employee job satisfaction only by signing labor contracts, but also need to match salary and welfare, career development channels, etc. to make employees’ work long-term and stable.This paper tries to make the following contributions: （1）The existing research mainly focuses on the external factors such as the social security of workers, but rarely involves the internal psychological changes of employees, such as subjective well-being and employee job satisfaction. This paper studies the above issues.（2）Considering the institutional differences of labor market at home and abroad, foreign studies rarely explore the signing of formal contracts, but mainly study the impact of different contract types on workers. Combined with China’s labor market, this paper explores the above cross fields.

<span id="ChDivSummary" name="ChDivSummary" class="abstract-text">"南稻北麦"的种植差异决定了传统中国南北方不同的家庭分工模式与女性社会地位。南方精耕细作的水稻种植发挥女性在农业生产过程中的比较优势,促进水稻区女性的劳动参与,并进一步提高女性的家庭和社会地位。与之相对应,北方小麦种植对体力的更高要求,提高了男性的比较优势。北方女性在农业种植中的较低参与和对家庭的更多投入,进而形成"男主外、女主内"的家庭分工模式。本文利用CFPS等微观数据库的研究表明,相对小麦区,水稻区女性承担更少的家务,拥有更高的家庭决策地位和外部劳动参与率。本文的研究为理解女性社会地位的区域差异提供了新视角。</span>

<span id="ChDivSummary" name="ChDivSummary" class="abstract-text">基于2009年试行的新型农村社会养老保险政策,本文借助CFPS 2016年数据,研究了社会信任水平对新型农村社会养老保险参与状况的影响。研究结果显示:社会信任水平对农村居民参与新型农村社会养老保险有显著的促进作用,社会信任水平高的居民参与新农保的概率比社会信任水平低的居民高13.9个百分点。为避免遗漏变量导致的估计偏误,本文构建了夫妻双方"对照—处理"拟自然实验场景,研究社会信任水平对夫妻双方新农保参与行为的影响,结论再次支持是社会信任水平的差异、而不是其他可能的遗漏变量导致了农村居民新农保参与行为的差异。最后,本文将受访者的利他性评价作为社会信任水平的工具变量进行稳健性检验,回归结果依然稳健。本文研究结论表明,社会信任水平是农村公共政策实施的重要软环境,良好的社会信任水平有利于促进公众参与公共事务,从而提高公共政策的实施效率。</span>

自然资源对区域经济发展是“福”还是“祸”？现有文献主要是从国别或省级层面进行研究,强调资源对地区收入的影响,宏观数据的研究因存在较大的遗漏变量和反向因果问题而无法获得无偏性估计结果,故其结论存在较大分歧.本文在梳理现有文献的基础上首次利用CFPS(2010)微观数据对自然资源和居民人均收入关系及其背后的传导机制进行了再检验.文章具体使用最小二乘法(OLS)和倾向性匹配得分法(PSM)进行因果识别,估计结果显示:①资源诅咒现象在中国村(居)层面存在,拥有自然资源的地区居民家庭人均收入相比于没有资源的地区低19％ ～23％,利用自助抽样和倾向性匹配得分法(PSM)在内的微观方法进行检验显示,上述估计结果高度稳健;②资源是通过挤出当地的教育投资、技术创新和降低制度质量来减少当地居民人均收入的,其中资源对教育的挤出效应不仅体现在拥有资源的地区政府教育投入更低,更体现在家庭层面上,拥有资源地区的民众对教育的重视程度相对更低;③资源开采的同时降低了当地的政府质量,具体表现霭有资源的地区政府的公共产品投入相对于没有自然资源的地区减少16％,有资源地区居民更容易遭受政府不公正政策的影响;④由于城乡所处发展阶段不同,资源对城市居民家庭人均收入的挤出效应是农村的2.5倍,这一结果说明资源的诅咒效应更多体现在经济发展到更高阶段后.本文的研究为资源诅咒理论提供了微观数据的新证据,同时为政策制定者的决策提供了微观层面的理论依据.

<span id="ChDivSummary" name="ChDivSummary" class="abstract-text">本文基于"南稻北麦"的种植格局,研究了农业种植方式对中国南北方信任模式的影响。利用CFPS等微观数据的研究表明,南方水稻区家庭与村庄内部更高的短半径协作需求诱发出亲友近邻间更高的受限制信任模式;北方小麦区为应对农忙期种植压力而诱致出的异地雇佣关系拓展了协作半径,进而发展出跨越血缘与地缘的一般性信任模式。进一步的工具变量估计和安慰剂检验支持了本文的研究结论。通过构建"父母—子女同住数据库",本文进一步验证了信任观念在代与代之间的"复制"与传承,这使得中国传统的农业种植方式持久地形塑了南北方的信任模式。</span>

<span id="ChDivSummary" name="ChDivSummary" class="abstract-text">本文利用CFPS2014微观数据研究了宗族对农村人力资本投资的影响。研究结果表明,宗族能够促进农村人力资本投资,平均而言,宗族使农村个人受教育年限提高约1.3年。考虑到宗族文化强调延续家族香火的重要性,宗族对人力资本投资的影响效应也表现出明显的"重男轻女"差异。在相同条件下,宗族使得男性人均受教育年限提高约1.6年,而对女性受教育年限的影响不显著。在考虑了可能存在的内生性问题之后,本文使用历史上的宗族力量作为工具变量进行回归,结果表明,宗族对个人受教育年限的影响是稳健的。本文进一步分析指出,宗族通过强化家庭教育观念、影响社会关系网络以及改善村级公共物品供给三个途径提高了个人的人力资本投资水平。</span>