Male Marriage Squeeze and a Sociodemographic Portrait of Involuntary Bachelors in Rural China

liuqing yang, School of Sociology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Zhen Guo, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Haili Liang, South  China  University  of  Technology

Utilizing comprehensive data from the 2020 Population Census and previous censuses, this paper investigates the male marriage squeeze and profiles involuntary bachelors in rural China, focusing on emerging trends from 2010 to 2020. Findings reveal a pronounced male marriage squeeze in 2020, with China experiencing its highest historical sex ratio among the marriageable population. Although universal marriage culture remains dominant, the proportion of never-married males surpasses that of females. Rural males notably delay marriage and have a significantly lower likelihood of marriage compared to their urban counterparts. Involuntary bachelors are concentrated in rural areas, marked by lower socioeconomic status and living conditions. While rural involuntary bachelors have improved their educational attainment, it still lags behind that of married men. Resource scarcity and reliance on minimum subsistence allowances are increasing. The proportion of involuntary bachelors living alone is higher, and the health disparity between them and married men continues to widen.

Keywords: Census data, Families, Unions and Households, Gender Dynamics, Population and Development

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