A Study On The Working Time Of Laborers In The Underdeveloped Regions Of China

The issue of rural laborer is crucial in China's agriculture development.Larger amount and lower education laborers exist in underdeveloped regions than in other regions, their earning is little, so it is very important to improve the human resources there.This positive research study human resources from a new view-the working hours of rural laborers. We use the investigation data of 582 households in 4 poor counties( Quxian ,Weining,Tongwei and Shangzhou) to study the kinds of working hours .The result of research shows:the family characters(per capita land,per capita income)and personal characters(gender,age, education,status of marriage) have effect on working hours. The surplus labor ratio is estimated. Econometrics models are used to analyze working hours.We draw the following conclusions: (l)The laborer surplus exists in underdeveloped regions. (2) The total of family income is mainly from agriculture. (3)The agriculture working hours of middle- income famers are more than the others' are. (4)A negative correlation is between laborers' agriculture working hours and their education. (5) Laborers between the age 31-40 work more. (6)The more land the more agriculture working time. (7)Women work more than men do both in agriculture and in housework.Policy implications are made based on the empirical results: (l)Poverty reduction and development shuld be combined with the use of surplus workers.(2) Government should strengthen the fundamental education and improve the enrollment of female children, control the population. (3) Arable land in underdeveloped regions should be made full use of , labor-intensive agriculture should be developed there.(4) Government should pay more attension to the weak and women in underdeveloped regions.