The clan imprint within gender wage gap: Evidence from China

Abstract

Clan culture plays a pivotal role in shaping gender disparities in individual choices. This paper, utilizing data from Chinese General Social Survey 2013, employs genealogy density as a proxy variable for clan culture. The results suggest that clan culture significantly promotes an increase in male wage, while no significant impact on female wage, consequently widening the gender wage gap. Notably, patrilineal clan exacerbates gender differences in human capital investment, reinforces gender identity, and intensifies social trust disparities, thereby perpetuating the escalation of gender wage inequality. Conversely, the internet, serving as a primary vehicle for modern gender equality ideas, mitigates the positive effect of clan on gender wage disparity. Further investigation reveals that the positive impact of clan culture on gender wage gap diminishes with an upward shift in wage distribution and narrows with generational transitions. These findings extend the cultural explanation pathway for gender wage gap.