Intergenerational inheritance has always been an important issue of concern to all sectors of society. This article examines the intergenerational inheritance of self-employment in rural China. Using a randomly selected, nearly nationally representative dataset from a recent household survey in China, this study provides evidence that there exists significant positive relationship between the self-employment of parents and their children. In the meantime, the possibility of intergenerational inheritance of self-employment increased from 1998 to 2015. It also finds that intergenerational inheritance of self-employment exists among children of different genders, and that this inheritance is more obvious between parents and children with low education level. Further analysis reveals the existence of intergenerational inheritance in wage-earning professions. By exploring the mechanisms behind intergenerational inheritance of self-employment, the study finds that the parents engaged in self-employment can significantly increase the material capital and social capital of their families.

Keywords: Rural Labor Force; Self-employment; Intergenerational Inheritance

Corresponding author: Wang Weidong, wangwd.15b@igsnrr.ac.cn