“Should the Hukou system be replaced?”
How a simple registration document can divide a city into two separate worlds
Abstract: Government statistics indicate that rural-urban migration has doubled since the 1990s, due in large part to economic factors. Over 10% of the population – nearly 150 million people – have moved to China’s cities. 80% are migrant workers, known as nong min gong, who fill the lowest positions on the employment ladder. Under China’s unique household registration system, these workers are still classified as migrants even though many have lived and worked in a city for many years.
