Rethinking Modernization and Value Change in China: Moral Decline or Emancipative Shift?

Area of Science:

• Sociology
• Social Psychology
• Cultural Studies

Background:

• Western modernization theories link progress with emancipative values.
• China's modernization narrative suggests a "moral crisis" and erosion of norms.
• Empirical evidence on modernization's impact on Chinese values is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate whether China's modernization erodes shared moral norms or fosters emancipative value change.
• To analyze intergenerational differences in moral values and standards in China.
• To examine value changes across different cohorts over time.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the World Values Survey conducted in China.
• Survey years included 2007, 2012, and 2018.
• Employed analysis of intergenerational differences in moral values and standards.

Main Results:

• Post-reform generations exhibit higher moral standards than pre-reform generations.
• Post-reform generations display more diverse and emancipative moral values.
• Moral standards have increased across the general population over time.

Conclusions:

• China's "moral crisis" represents a transformation, not a decline, of morality.
• Modernization in China shapes citizens' moral outlook towards greater emancipation.
• Findings contribute to comparative studies on socio-economic modernization and value change.