Women In Rural China--Work Patterns and Fertility Goals.

The great institutional changes in Chinese agriculture over the past 25 years have altered the position of women in the economy and family, one consequence of which has been the emergence of female role models who delay marriage and bear small families. This paper discusses the fertility goals of the rural activist women as one type of response to organizational and cultural change in Chinese society. The report begins with a discussion of the institutional features associated with the historical incidence of large families in the Asian agricultural setting. A description follows of the recent changes that have occurred in Asian urban centers, including: (1) the relation of the family to the economy; (2) the reorganization of housework; (3) the assimilation of women into male roles; (4) the educational advancement of Chinese women; (5) the unevenness of change; and (6) the motivation to limit family size. The paper concludes with some implications for further research. (Author/BW)