Scandinavian Working Papers in Economics

Working Papers in Economics,
University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics

No 732: Long-run effects of family policies: An experimental study of the Chinese one-child policy

Fredrik Carlsson (), Elina Lampi (), Peter Martinsson (), Qin Tu and Xiaojun Yang
Additional contact information
Fredrik Carlsson: Department of Economics, School of Business, Economics and Law, Göteborg University, Postal: P.O. Box 640, SE 40530 GÖTEBORG, Sweden
Elina Lampi: Department of Economics, School of Business, Economics and Law, Göteborg University, Postal: P.O. Box 640, SE 40530 GÖTEBORG, Sweden
Peter Martinsson: Department of Economics, School of Business, Economics and Law, Göteborg University, Postal: P.O. Box 640, SE 40530 GÖTEBORG, Sweden
Qin Tu: School of Economics and Resource Management, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
Xiaojun Yang: School of Public Policy and Administration, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China

Abstract: We present lab-in-the-field experimental evidence of the effects of the Chinese one-child policy on individuals’ preferences and behavior as adults. The experiments were conducted in three different provinces because the policy was not strictly implemented at the same time in all provinces. We measure risk and time preferences, as well as subjects’ competitiveness, cooperation, and bargaining behavior, sampling individuals born both before and after the introduction of the policy. Overall, we do not find any sizeable or statistically significant effects of the one-child policy on preferences or behavior in any of the experiments. These results hold for heterogeneity in the timing of the implementation of the OCP in different provinces, for heterogeneity among individuals, and for various robustness checks.

Keywords: one-child policy; lab-in-the-field experiment; China.

JEL-codes: C91; D03; D10; I31; P30

51 pages, May 2018

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