Land Tenure Arrangements and Rural-Urban Migration in China

Katrina Mullan (), Pauline Grosjean and Andreas Kontoleon
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Katrina Mullan: University of Cambridge, Department of Land Economy

No 37.2008, Environmental Economy and Policy Research Working Papers from University of Cambridge, Department of Land Economics

Abstract: This paper examines the impacts of the Chinese Household Responsibility System, which governs rural land tenure, on rural-urban migration. Migration in China has traditionally been limited by the hukou system of household registration, under which individuals who wish to change their place of residence must gain approval from government authorities. This system is currently being relaxed in an attempt to reduce inequalities between rural and urban areas. However, migration will not increase if additional constraints remain for potential migrants. Using a model of the relationship between land tenure arrangements and migration of household members, we examine whether those with greater tenure security and formal rental rights for agricultural or forest land are more likely to participate in labour markets outside the village. The finding that greater tenure security increases migration suggests that the current system of property rights, in which land is periodically reallocated, acts as a constraint on migration. This strengthens the case for further tenure reform for agricultural and forest land.

Keywords: Land tenure security; land rental rights, rural-urban migration, China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J61 O15 P32 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2008, Revised 2008
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-agr, nep-cna, nep-dev, nep-mig, nep-tra and nep-ure
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Journal Article: Land Tenure Arrangements and Rural-Urban Migration in China (2011)
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