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Kindergarten Matters: Second Birth Intention of Floating Population in Chinese Urbanization Process

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Re-understanding of Contemporary Chinese Political Development

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Abstract

Extant studies have shown that educational resources are a key factor affecting people’s fertility intention. However, there is no further subdivision as to which resources at which stages of education have a significant impact on fertility decision-making. Based on the 2014 Migrants Population Dynamic Monitoring Survey Data of China, this chapter analyzes the impact of regional kindergarten capacity and primary school resources on second birth intention of the floating population in the context of banishing the Chinese one-child policy and urbanization. It is demonstrated in the research that kindergarten capacity has a significant positive impact on fertility desire of all women of reproductive age, while primary school resources exert a significant influence on fertility desire of the floating population in provincial capitals. The research also finds that the floating population does have gender preference, which is consistent with the results of previous studies. The author finally discusses the theoretical and policy implications of these findings.

The author thanks Dr Binjian Yan for the contribution to the earlier version.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.TFRT.IN?

  2. 2.

    The floating population in China refers to those who leave their registered permanent residence to live elsewhere. It differs from typical internal migration or migrant workers.

  3. 3.

    http://money.cnn.com/2017/11/28/news/china-private-education-ryb/index.html, or https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/24/world/asia/beijing-kindergarten-abuse.html

  4. 4.

    The ‘per capita’ here puts permanent residents as the denominator, rather than the registered population.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Public Policy and Management, University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China

    Leizhen Zang

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  1. Leizhen Zang
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Zang, L. (2019). Kindergarten Matters: Second Birth Intention of Floating Population in Chinese Urbanization Process. In: Re-understanding of Contemporary Chinese Political Development . Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-1250-2_5

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