Sex ratio imbalance and economic development in China: a feminist economics perspective

Abstract                         

This paper focuses on the relationship between population sex ratios and regional economic development in China from a feminist economics perspective. The One-Child policy and the economic upsurge after the 1980s have combined to influence the process of development and gender equality in China. While previous studies have predominantly focused on sex ratios at birth, this research shifts the focus to the overall population sex ratio and its broader economic consequences. Using the Capability Approach and feminist economics as the framework, the research explores the impact of China's Policies and Son Preference, highlighting the causes of the imbalanced sex ratio and its detrimental effects. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research combines interviews with five Chinese female experts and regression analysis of panel data (2013–2022) from China's National Bureau of Statistics. The regression results show that imbalanced sex ratios significantly negatively impact per-person disposable income at the provincial level. This paper argues that Son Preference in the context of China is a patriarchal ideology that reinforces structural gender inequalities and constrains long-term economic development. This research emphasizes the need to confront institutional economic and gender inequalities to address Son Preference and promote Comprehensive Sexuality Education as one of the solutions.

Keywords

Sex ratio; China; economic development; gender inequality; feminist economics; one-child policy; son preference; reproductive rights.

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