The “youth bulge” in China: An exploration of its political consequences through the case study of Beijing (1924-2010)

In this communication I will aim to explore in a comparative perspective, between five age groups (18-26 year-old, 33-41 year-old, 48-56 year-old, 63-71 year-old and 78-86 year-old), and through the case study of Beijing the political consequences of the “youth bulge” in China.
Relying on answers I collected with an open-questions questionnaire in 2010 (N=627), I will point out in a comparative perspective between the five age groups which socio-historical events or changes are perceived as the most significant for the first two only-child generations. Then, I will discuss and put in perspective these findings with Gary Fuller and Jack A. Goldstone’s thesis which argues that countries moving from high to low fertility and mortality rates are more vulnerable to civil conflicts (Fuller, 1995, Goldstone, 1991, Urdal, 2006). To conclude I will argue that although the young Chinese may seem depoliticized because unlike their elders they mention very few political events, they however maintains a strong nationalist sentiment. I will also demonstrate that, as in the case of China, a “youth bulge” do not always leads to social instability.

N.B: I am sorry but I could not upload the figures coming with the long abstract (file to heavy).