Stratification Dynamics under State Socialism: The Case of Urban China, 1949-1993

Previous studies of stratification under state socialism have emphasized the institutional structure of redistributive economies. This article stresses the importance of the state and political mechanisms. We argue that individual life chances under state socialism are extremely sensitive to political processes, especially shifts in state policies, and that changes in state policies can dramatically alter opportunity structures, the status of structural locations, and the nature and value of political and human capital. Therefore, effects of these characteristics on life chances often vary across historical periods and over an individual's life course. Supporting evidence comes from a study of labor force entry and Communist Party membership in urban China from 1949 to 1993 based on life histories for samples of residents in Beijing and Shanghai.