From reds to riches: Contemporary changes of educational assortative mating in China

Ever since the Chinese Communist Party took power in 1949, China has endured multiple political mobilizations that shattered traditional norms and reshuffled social hierarchies. Its reversal to market liberalization since the late 1970s has been no less remarkable in disrupting previously established social structures. Using data compiled from the 2000 Census, this study explores the influences of these institutional transformations on educational assortative mating. The results indicate that early political mobilizations have reduced the strength of educational association moderately and continuously whereas the onset of market reforms sharply reverses the trend to increasing association. Additional analyses further reveal that couples with sent-down wives have no or weaker advantages in homogamy whereas educational association among couples who are both sent-down is significantly weaker than others. In sum, the results show that whilst the effects of economic reforms on assortative mating are massive and pervasive, early political disruptions significantly affected only certain groups, mostly women.