Interpretation Of "Migration Puzzle" In The Process Of Urbanization:From The Perspective On Human Capital

Rural labor migration and the income gap between urban and rural areas have been important social phenomena. They are not only related to solve the three dimensional rural issues, but also related to the long-term stability and balanced development of the country. The phenomenon that the scale of rural labor migration and the income gap between urban and rural areas expand at the same time exists in the process of urbanization in China. Rural labor migration is not effective to narrow urban-rural income gap. "Migration puzzle" has appeared in China. And it has become an important problem that must be solved during the process of urbanization in our country. Based on the perspective of human capital, this dissertation built a theoretical model and used the macro and the micro data separately to conduct the empirical research to explore the "migration puzzle" and solve it. This study is important to promote urbanization, achieve balanced development and narrow the income gap between urban and rural areas.First, this dissertation analyzed development status and trend on rural labor migration and urban-rural income gap. The results show that the scale of rural transferred labors expands and urban-rural income gap increases in volatility and extends with time trend. At the same time, the statistical data shows that the education level on rural transferred labors is also rising.Next, based on urban and rural production function and human capital, the dissertation studied on the relationship between rural labor migration and urban-rural income gap. Under the assumption that rural transferred labors are not completely citizenship, it conducted theoretical analysis on how the human capital of rural transferred labors and the difference of human capital between urban and rural labors effect on the urban-rural income gap. And it put forward relevant research hypotheses.Again, based on theoretical model and two kinds of differences of human capital perspective, this dissertation conducted the empirical research to explore "migration puzzle" in the process of urbanization. The results show that the difference of human capital between urban and rural labors has no effect on urban-rural income gap. While, the human capital of rural transferred labors in different levels expands it. With the scale of labor migration expanding, the human capital attached to the transferred labor force flows more. The spillover of middle and high human capital and the weakening rural human capital are important reasons to cause "migration puzzle" in the process of urbanization.Then, based on CFPS microscopic survey data, the dissertation used quantile regression and Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition method to study the income gap combined with education, health and migration. The results show that the differences in education level and the return to education are important causes of the income gap between urban labors and rural transferred labors. While, the differences in health level and the return to health are not important factors leading to the income gap between the two groups. For rural transferred labors and rural local workers, the differences in education level and health level are important reasons to cause the income gap between them, while the price difference has no significant effect on the income gap. Overall, the difference in education has strong explanatory power on "migration puzzle", while the difference in health has little explanatory power on it.Finally, based on the theoretical and empirical analysis, it put forward suggestions to solve "migration puzzle" and narrow the income gap between urban and rural areas with the development of urbanization.