Social Stratification, Intergenerational Mobility, and Individual Donation in Contemporary China

• In Event: 30620 - Section on Inequality, Poverty, and Mobility Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 8: Social Stratification and Its Discontents

Abstract

How does social class influence indivdidual charitable giving? While existing research has produced mixed conclusions regarding the effects of social class on individual donation, little attention has been paid to the institutional and contextual factors that shape donation behaviors. Using data from the 2018 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), we analyze how individuals’ current and origin class, as well as their mobility trajectories, influence their likelihood of donating, donation amount, and preferred donation channels. Our findings suggest that higher social class and party membership both promote donation behavior, but their effects partially offset each other, particularly among younger cohorts. We further differentiate between online and institutional donation channels, revealing that online giving is more strongly influenced by social origin, while institutional donations are primarily shaped by an individual's current class position, reflecting state mobilization mechanisms. Additionally, downward mobility is associated with increased charitable giving, likely due to identity maintenance and heightened awareness of inequality, while upward mobility reduces online donations, suggesting a self-interest orientation. By integrating social mobility and political status into the study of philanthropy, this paper advances theoretical debates on civic engagement in transitional and authoritarian contexts.

Authors

• Bing Wang, Fudan University

• Yue Zhang, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill