A new article by Matthew Noellert and Xiangning Li on the urban migration of rural elites in the early PRC is now available online in The China Quarterly: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0305741024001516. The article uses data from an urban county seat included in the CRRD-SQ dataset.
Abstract:
We present findings from historical microdata that suggest former rural elites effectively preserved their socio-economic advantages into the early People’s Republic of China (PRC, circa 1949–1965) by exploiting urban–rural differences in government policies. In particular, former rural elites were three to four times more likely than poor peasants to move to a nearby town, and this urbanization was highly associated with socio-economic privileges in a rapidly developing economy, including both income and educational opportunities. We also find evidence that after 1949, former rural elites who did urbanize were more likely than their poor peasant counterparts to find industrial jobs.
摘要：
基于历史微观数据的发现表明，在中华人民共和国建国后直至文革前（1949–1965），建国前的乡村精英（地主和富农）通过利用国家政策对城乡的差异有效地维持了原来的社会经济优势。具体地说，地富相比贫农迁移到县城的可能性要高出三到四倍。在经济快速发展的情况下，这样的城市化（移民）带来了收入和教育机会等多种社会经济优势。我们还发现，建国后在迁移到县城的人群中，地富比贫农更有可能在工业找到工作。
Here is the full reference:
Noellert, Matthew, and Xiangning Li. 2025. “Internal Migration and the Continuity of Local Elites in North China, 1949–1965.” The China Quarterly, February, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0305741024001516.
The print version will appear in June 2025, Vol. 262.