Farmers Fertility Problems, Changes In Social Structure Perspective

Sex ratio at birth in China has been steadily increasing since the 1980s, which is mainly attributed to the concept of "Son Preference" in vast rural areas. This article uses field study to analyze farmers' fertility rationality, especially the forming and existing mechanism of "Son Preference".Farmers' rationality is embedded into the social structure, and their fertility rationality is a rational response to specific living conditions for the immediate needs. Though deeply rooted in traditional cultures, "Son Preference" still has a complex relationship with various social structural factors. It is just the system of gender inequality in the rural communities that determines the formation and existence of "Son Preference". Under the structure of gender relationship, individuals conduct social leaning activities on males' value and privilege by ways of social cognition and constant reflection on life practices. The concept and behavior of "Son Preference" copy and reproduce the original structure of gender relationship.The whole thesis is divided into five parts: Introduction, Literature Review and Definitions, Fertility Desire, Rationality of "Son Preference", Reflection and Discussion.The Chapter 1 introduces the main significance of the issues and the research method.In Chapter 2, the author conducts a brief literature review and comments, then puts forward the thesis' way of thinking: employing a subjective perspective to explore the farmers' logical development path. Finally, the author elaborates the main concepts involved in this thesis.Chapter 3 analyses the farmers' fertility desire. It can be said that the traditional concept of "the more, the better" has been weakened dramatically. However, as the kinship still plays an important role in rural communities, there still remains somewhat distance between the number of desired children and that responding required number from government policy. As to the gender structure of desired children, most farmers desire a perfect match of a boy and a girl. Because males occupy the dominant position in the society, "Son Preference" will become the minimum expression when it is difficult to achieve the ideal gender structure.Chapter 4 explains the fertility rationality of "Son Preference" .The fertility rationality of "Son Preference" emerges from the interaction of macroeconomic factors and the individual behaviors. As the core principle, the male line in the social life of the rural areas, has not been fundamentally changed, "Son Preference" is always at the core of the farmers' fertility. Therefore, the discussion about the forming and existing mechanism centers on the system of gender inequality in the rural life. The paper analyzes this problem from six perspectives: psychological constraint, labor and employment, deficiency of social endowment insurance, economic rationality in the fertility process, state's fertility policy, and women' rationality. Based on the above analysis, the author continues to discuss farmers' strategies to achieve and maintain their fertility rationality.Chapter 5 is Reflection and Discussion. Reflecting on the farmers' rationality, the author analyses the factors deconstructing the traditional rationality: the evolution of social relationship's principle reduces the importance of kinship; the importance of education shifts the focus of fertility from gender to the will of fostering children. Finally, the paper offers the relevant policy recommendations.